Into the East
by EarthToMe001
Summary: A young New England woman takes a walk in the gardens at a friend's party only to find herself transported to Feudal Japan. Who does she encounter upon entering this strange new world? None other than the Lord of the West. SessOC
1. Taking the Plunge

Into the East

Chapter one: Taking the Plunge

Posted: 3 July 2006

Characters originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else is mine

_Another dull party. Why do I bother?_ Vanessa leaned on the balcony, chin propped on her palm. Her fiancée, Bryce, was continually dragging her all over New England to a party here, a gala there, and occasionally to fancy charity functions. Tonight they were on a large estate near Salem, Massachusetts. She couldn't remember the occasion - just that she would rather be any place but there. Having just finished her last semester of medical school before beginning her Residency, Vanessa was eager to let loose and celebrate, but this… was not what she had in mind.

Lately it seemed that the man Vanessa adored was growing more petty and shallow. It used to be that they would attend the parties because they were interested in their community or in meeting new people. Both Vanessa and Bryce came from prominent New England families, but it was that he didn't _act_ like he could own the world – as every one of her other peers had – that had attracted her to him. Now, though, the enchantment seemed to be wearing off and more and more, she noticed that Bryce came to the parties to be _seen_ – and for her to be seen with him. It didn't matter the occasion anymore, if there was an event, he made sure everyone knew that he was there. Bryce was changing, and Vanessa only knew that she didn't like it.

Looking out into the surrounding – surprisingly thick – forest, Vanessa got the sense that it was very old - older than the Union, older even than the colonies. It intrigued her. She loved being out doors and after spending most of her life in big cities or carefully groomed estates, she cherished every opportunity to explore pristine wilderness. That this estate sat so near to the famed and infamous Salem witches only heightened her curiosity in what else lay on the grounds. Despite her high heels and formal attire, Vanessa decided that she wanted to go for a walk; she could see a path that ran along the edge of the tree line and branched occasionally into the forest.

Vanessa turned to the small cluster of men chatting nearby and touched Bryce on the arm. He smiled down at her and kissed her cheek, oblivious to his fiancée's boredom. "Bryce, I think I'm going to take a walk." Hoping that he would take the hint and they might actually spend a few moments alone together, she smiled up at him sweetly.

"Why, Ness? This is where the party's at!" He grinned at her.

"I just need to get some air." Disappointed, Vanessa turned and started down the stairs to the lawn.

The sun still shone, just above the trees, for which Vanessa was thankful; she'd left her shawl in the coatroom. Still, the fresh air and cool early summer breeze felt good on her skin. The long ride from the city, not to mention the excessively long driveway, had taken Vanessa far from the sights and sounds – and smells – of Boston. She had to admit that dressing up from time to time and simply feeling like a princess at the ball with her prince was thrilling, but even luxury got old after a while. Part of her desire to become a doctor was her need to feel, to sense, to experience _everything_. Rather than admire the pretty lilies in the garden, Vanessa would rather be on her knees in the dirt planting them. Despite her mother's objections, her neatly manicured fingernails had found their share of dirt and grime lodged underneath. It wasn't that Vanessa enjoyed being dirty – she could primp and polish with the best of them – she just wanted to enjoy life and everything it threw at her.

Big cities and the life she was raised in would always have a special place in her heart, but she also wanted to explore, to camp out under the stars, ride off into the sunset… An odd sort of romanticism to be sure, but Vanessa always felt that she was missing out on something in her pretty, pampered life. Becoming a doctor was her way of rebelling. Her parents didn't know it yet, but after earning her MD, Vanessa planned to spend a year or more abroad, helping those who couldn't help themselves. She had heard of an organization that sails from port to port in third world countries, bringing much-needed medical supplies, operations, or city planning. She felt drawn to a career of service from the moment the idea first crossed her mind. Perhaps she was naive, sheltered, knowing that she would always have her family's wealth to back her up if she needed it, and she knew it sounded cliché, but she wanted to make a difference – to leave her mark on the world.

Before she knew it, Vanessa had reached the trees. The cool, relative darkness seemed so inviting that she didn't hesitate to take the branch of the path that lead deep into the forest. Nightfall was still an hour away or more, and besides, they wouldn't have groomed walking paths through the forest if it were dangerous. She only hoped that she wouldn't stumble across a couple enjoying the seclusion for… other reasons. Vanessa grinned mischievously as she thought back on all the times she and Bryce had pounced on unsuspecting friends and classmates in the parks and hidden places of their university campus. Bryce had always respected her wishes of not finding their own secluded place; she had too much going on in her life at the moment to even _think_ about the _possibility_ of bringing a baby into the world, and Vanessa loved him more than he could know for his respect. _He was so much happier then…_ The politics of life and state seemed to be weighing heavily on the young lawyer. It seemed that by coming to parties and feigning happiness, he felt he could actually trick himself into _being_ happy. They were drifting apart, and Vanessa didn't know what to do.

Vanessa was shaken from her reverie by the presence of an odd structure. She took a few steps back to fully absorb her surroundings. The path had lead her to a small clearing, though the trees surrounding were so dense and tall that there was not much to be seen of the sky. Still, dim rays of dusky sunlight filtered through the leaves and left the clearing looking as though it belonged in an enchanted forest of a fairy tale.

In the center of the clearing stood an ancient stone arch. It didn't look as though it had ever been attached to a building, but then again, Vanessa was no expert on architecture, ancient or otherwise. She approached again slowly, admiring the sturdy grace of the structure. Upon closer inspection, she saw the faint outlines of runes carved in the stones, the language long ago forgotten by the masters of the estate. Idly, she wondered if anyone knew the story behind such a piece. Clearly it held some significance – or was it simply the beauty of it? – that the path lead to this place. Vanessa reached out a slender finger and traced the outline of one of the runes. "Hn, I wish I knew what these meant." She muttered to no one but herself. The stones were unnaturally warm. Already the dim light was fading quickly to night, but even in full daylight, the sun could not have warmed the stones so well through the tree cover.

Fascinated, Vanessa walked slowly around the arch, occasionally brushing her fingers against the stone. It was set upon a low, circular platform, two steps leading up. At the top of the arch, perhaps 10 feet high was flat slab of rock. The width of the arch was nearly five feet with another foot of stone on either side. It reminded Vanessa faintly of Stonehenge, but at the same time, it was very different. As she continued circling the arch, she noticed a soft sound, something like a murmur of crystal wind chimes and rushing water. It was a soothing sound, though notably unnatural and slightly eerie. And it was growing louder.

As Vanessa came around to path-side of the arch, she noticed slight movement out of the corner of her eye – a sort of ripple in the air, like the heat over a fire. The stones were growing warmer and the runes began to glow very softly, almost unnoticeably but for the ever-increasing darkness surrounding the clearing. If Vanessa had had any sense, she would have turned and run back to the house, but her curiosity overthrew any inkling of fear; she even giggled at a stray thought that crossed her mind. She imagined herself a princess in an enchanted wood, facing a magic portal to take her where her dreams would come true. There was that silly romanticism of hers, but then again, she did look the part.

Suddenly the space between the legs of the arch flickered and an alien landscape showed itself to Vanessa. She gasped and ran to the side of the arch to peer around at what she knew should lie on the other side. It looked back through the center of the arch and her eyes grew wide. It wasn't at all the scene that she should be seeing. First, it was still dusk, dim light filtering to the forest floor, and second, there were flowers _everywhere_. She stood in a typical New England forest: lots of green with the occasional flowering shrub – except when the fall turned the leaves to a sea of orange and yellow. However, through the arch, she saw an absolute abundance of color: soft pink flowering trees, tiny flowers, large flowers, flowering shrubs and bushes. There was color everywhere!

_Amazing…_ Cautiously, she reached out to the center of the arch, thinking it must be some sort of projection screen. It would have been quite a trick. It had certainly looked like nothing more than an empty arch before.

As her fingers touched the would-be surface, she felt a slight tugging and snatched her hand away. "What the –" It was something straight out of the sci-fi movies that she secretly loved. She touched the surface once more, resisting the urge to snatch her hand away from the strange tugging sensation, and watched as the image shimmered slightly. Pulling her hand back, she gazed into the strange landscape before her. Vanessa gasped when a small girl ran across her view. The child paused and looked around as though she had heard the sharp breath, but, apparently seeing no source or danger, she continued on her way, singing to herself and stopping now and again to pluck a flower from its home.

Curiosity began to override rational thought – once again. Vanessa waited for the girl to leave her field of vision and made up her mind. She really wanted to see more of this land-behind-the-looking-glass as it were, and ignored the voice of reason in her head that screamed at her to go back to the house and the security of her fiancée. That idea was quickly losing her interest, as she stood tall on the platform taking a deep breath. Finally, heart pounding, she closed her eyes tight and stepped between the legs of the arch.

It was a rush! Like falling, and yet floating, flying, but standing still, the conflicting sensations sent adrenaline pounding through her veins. In that space between reality, Vanessa felt an eternity slide by in moments. The next thing she knew, she was stumbling, nearly falling to the ground in a very strange, very far from home place. Turning to look back the way she came, Vanessa's heart nearly stopped. There was no arch on this side, no shimmering portal into the world she knew. Suddenly, she felt very foolish, and very alone. There was no going back now.

Always one to laugh in the face of adversity, Vanessa quickly composed herself after the few minutes that she allowed for self-pity. Curiosity and reason were strangely enough working together at the moment. Now that she was here in the strange land, she might as well take a look around. That was Curiosity's stance. Reason, however, told her that since she had already seen one little girl, her parents or town couldn't be far away.

And so, Vanessa set off through the trees, not entirely sure where she was going or what she would do when she got there. As evening began to settle into night, she began to see a bit of the error of her ways. Still dressed in a formal gown and wearing high heels, she felt ridiculous traipsing through the forest. It was a good thing she paid well for those shoes though, they were well made and actually fairly comfortable. As much as she loved the outdoors, she was not thrilled at the idea of stepping barefoot into who-knew-what. Shuddering at the thought, she reflected on the fact that she might be a little rich girl tomboy, but she still _hated_ bugs.

After a short while in the growing darkness, Vanessa noticed the silence. Even the insects she hated so much had grown quiet. She paused, feeling uneasy in the quiet. _Something's not right._ Suddenly she heard a snuffling sound – and something big coming none too discreetly toward her. Before she could think to move back into the dense foliage, a large bull's head emerged through the trees opposite Vanessa. She almost laughed at her silly fright. It looked like a perfectly normal bull, if not for the slightly reddish tinge to its eyes, but then the rest of the creature emerged and Vanessa took an involuntary step backward.

The beast was huge, probably eight feet tall when it finally stood to its full height. It looked to be half man and half bull. Long curving horns jutted from its head and its neck was as thick as any ox's, but that was where the similarities ended. It stood erect, like a man, with broad shoulders to match its neck and coarse hair covering its arms, hands and chest, fading at its midsection. Loose cropped pants covered its waist and thighs, but then its legs bent backward to end in very large, cloven hooves, much like the rear legs of an actual bull. Clawed hands clenched at its sides as it sniffed the air. Then it snarled. The sound fit Vanessa's mental image of a placid cow nearly as well as the long sharp fangs that filled its mouth. It looked directly at her, and the gleam in those faintly red eyes was enough to set her feet to motion.

She cried out and bolted just as the beast lunged for her, narrowly missing snatching her waist. Heels or no heels, Vanessa ran and prayed that a turned ankle would be the worst of any injuries she might receive. Fueled once again by adrenaline, Vanessa ran harder and faster than she ever thought possible in high heels. _Good thing I opted out of stilettos_. Her panicked mind thought. _Where am I? This is like something straight out of Greek mythology!_ She could hear the beast lumbering behind her. It was fast, but somehow, it seemed that it was not that agile. Daring a glance over her shoulder, and immediately wishing that she hadn't, she saw trees – trees! – being ripped out of the ground to make way for the large bull-man.

Already the heady rush of adrenaline was giving way to fatigue, but Vanessa pushed herself harder. Whatever it was that the bull-man wanted, it couldn't be anything pleasant for her. It was dark and she could hardly see where she was going, and was amazed that she hadn't caught her foot or her dress on anything as she raced around trees and under limbs, trying to put some distance between herself and the monster chasing her. Air entered her lungs only with difficulty, and her legs were burning. Heels were not made for running and the snug, corset-like bodice of her dress did nothing to allow a full desperate lung-full of air. Vanessa could feel herself growing weaker with every step she took. How long had she been running? Why won't that _thing_ give up? Of course it knew that it would catch her eventually. It only had to keep her within its sights.

She dared a second glance over her shoulder and saw that the bull-man was indeed gaining, and just as she turned her face back to the forest ahead of her and plunged into the foliage to another clearing, she collided with something solid. The slightest of grunts told her that with wall she hit was alive, but was so unaffected by the collision that it barely took a step back. At some point she had squeezed her eyes shut; now she opened them and saw strange armor before her filling her field of view, covering a beautiful heavy silk fabric. She almost didn't want to look up to find out who or what the owner of such a strange costume was, but, warily, she slid her eyes upward as she clutched his breastplate in fear of what was coming behind her, as well as the stranger before her. He was tall, but as her eyes reached the edge of his collar, she saw skin – smooth, ivory pale skin that drew her eyes further up to a strong jaw and – human? – features. If she could have caught her breath, she would have sighed in relief.

The man to whom Vanessa was currently attached did not look down at her to meet her frightened eyes; instead his calm gaze was fixed on the crashing that headed their way. The bull-man finally reached the edge of the clearing and roared. She cringed and ducked her head into to the hard armor, heedless of the fact that she had no idea who this man was. Vanessa felt a twitch of the man's body beneath the armor and suddenly silence once again reigned in the clearing.

Breath coming painfully into her burning lungs, Vanessa turned her head the slightest bit to look over her shoulder and stared wide-eyed at the remains for her pursuer, neatly sliced in two from shoulder to hip. She quickly turned her face up to the man she was still clinging to and was shocked at his unflinching, intense raptor-like gaze directed at her. His eyes were mesmerizing, a gold so clear there was no way they could be contacts. The color reminded her of a wolf or tiger's eyes. She also noted absently that he sported strange face paint – or tattoos. The lids above his strangely beautiful eyes were a deep reddish hue and when she could finally tear herself away from his gaze to scan the rest of his face she found a deep blue, perfect crescent moon on his forehead and twin pairs of stripes along his high, chiseled cheekbones, the same hue as that on his eyelids.

Completing the odd beauty of this man was his hair. It fell slightly over his eyes and was the purest silver white she had ever seen, though he didn't look a day over 25. If she had had a better view, she would have noticed that the silver hair reached just below his knees and that it was tucked neatly behind pointed elfin ears.

As Vanessa continued to scan the man's face, trying to make sense of what her eyes told her, she saw his nostrils flare, ever so slightly as he inhaled through his nose. His face remained calm, emotionless, stoic, but she felt a rumble erupt from his chest under fingers that still clutched his breastplate, then she heard it. A sound so wild and bestial that immediately she turned back to the bull-man, but he remained still where he lay in pieces. The realization came to her then that this horrifying sound was coming from the man before her.

She jumped back as though burned and took in Sesshoumaru, the great inu youkai, taiyoukai of the Western Lands. _Where am I?_

A/N: I had to introduce you to Vanessa first! I promise more Sesshoumaru in later chapters. Umm… and more dialogue. At this point, I'm still grappling with how to deal with the language barrier, and, well, since Sesshoumaru is the quiet type anyway, for now we'll let actions speak louder than words.


	2. Revelation

A/N: Ok, I'm going to try something here for the next few chapters, and if you hate it… well… give it a chance. Basically I want to show the thought processes that occur on either side of our little "barrier," so, what I'm going to do is change the point of view between chapters. There will be a little overlap, but I think that we'll get a better feel of the characters when the exchange is not entirely one-sided. As always, please review - let me know what you think!

Into the East

Chapter two: Revelation

Posted: 9 July 2006

Characters originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else, including Vanessa © me

Sesshoumaru heard the youkai approaching long before he sensed it, which was considerable because he had a very keen ability to sense such things. A passing thought alerted him to the fact that Rin had not yet returned. He was not concerned however, as he was certain that the young human would call for him if she were in the least bit of danger – _or bored, or happy, sad or excited.._._ Humans really are insufferable._ Still, he continued to suffer her presence willingly and, for reasons he had not yet discovered himself, he kept the girl by his side.

He smoothly rose from his position against the tree and idly wondered what sort of youkai he would have to deal with this time. It was inconsiderate, after all, to wake a taiyoukai as great as he from a much-desired nap. The youki he sensed was not particularly strong, though it was approaching, and the youkai responsible was _loud_! That would simply not be tolerated in his quiet, peaceful forest.

Standing relaxed and ready for any opponent, Sesshoumaru was not prepared for the youkai to be a slight female. _No… it is not hers– _The panicked female apparently did not notice his presence _– irksome – _and she collided with him at a dead run, interrupting his thoughts. She had been looking over her shoulder, probably - and unwisely - looking for the obviously stronger youkai pursuing her. This Sesshoumaru was not so weak as to be unbalanced by a mere slip of a female, though he did give a small involuntary grunt as her body slammed into his.

A million thoughts crossed Sesshoumaru's exceptionally expansive mind, and he chose one to hold onto for the moment. He really had no desire to solve whatever problem she had gotten herself into, however… There was something strange about this female. By her appearance alone, he would have guessed her to be youkai, or at least hanyou since her ears were distinctly rounded, rather than the pointed ears of a full youkai in humanoid form. He had never seen anyone like her before, and his curiosity was piqued in the rather short amount of time he had had to inspect her before all that was visible was the top of her head. Now was not the time for further inspection, however; the pursuing youkai was nearly upon them.

The bull-youkai burst into the clearing and had the audacity to bellow at Sesshoumaru. The display was proof enough that this was the sort of brute that gave a refined youkai, such as Sesshoumaru, a bad name. _One simply cannot run around thrashing whomever one pleases. Punishment for this insolence is hardly worth my time._ Wasting as little energy as possible on so unworthy an opponent, Sesshoumaru, with the barest flick of his wrist, made short work of the bull-youkai with his poison whip. Satisfied with the eradication of the brutish, lesser demon, he finally consented to take notice of his most recent cling-on and turned his gaze down to the panting, trembling female at his chest. _Hn_. he thought, only slightly amused, _Clearly she knows not who I am._ He smirked mentally, his outward appearance remaining stoic. _Few who have dared to come so close as to actually _touch_ this Sesshoumaru have lived to tell the tale. We shall see how this one fares._

Eventually, the strange female cast a tentative glance over her shoulder at the fallen youkai. _Interesting…_ She did not seem at all fazed at the sight of the body neatly sliced in two. _Either she has much experience in blood and battle – unlikely – or she is shocked with fright and knows not what she sees._ Sesshoumaru continued to look down unblinking upon the female before him, when finally she turned her own gaze up to him. She started only slightly when she found him staring back at her so intently. He caught her gaze and held it, but she merely stared back, barely blinking herself. She didn't cringe and avert her eyes like the rest of Sesshoumaru's subordinates, and… she was still _touching_ him. _Hn… Very foolish, or very brave._

Neither had yet said a word and Sesshoumaru watched as she broke her gaze and began inspecting his face. He was not unsettled per se, but surprised when she began her inspection; few dared look him in the eye, let alone scrutinize his features. His forehead threatened to quirk an eyebrow – an annoying habit that did indeed have its uses, yet tended to creep up on him at inopportune moments. This one was one of those moments, but the taiyoukai had long ago learned to school his features and would not allow them to regress now. _It seems as though she has never seen one such as myself. Of course… there _are_ none such as this Sesshoumaru. Curious… where does this creature come from that she does not recognize a youkai of great power when she sees it?_ It was more thought than he had given concerning any one person – with the exception of Rin and perhaps Jaken – in a very long time, and it made him wonder what was coming over him. He watched as the female's eyes moved smoothly from his own to the crescent moon on his forehead, down to the markings on either cheek and finally up to his hair.

It was at this point that the pervasive stench of the dead bull-youkai dissipated enough that Sesshoumaru noted the obvious scent of human on the female, though somehow different from that of the locals he tolerated on his land. His innate hatred of the species immediately triggered a low growl, too low for human ears to perceive. The female – woman – glanced at her hands, still clutching at Sesshoumaru's armor; she felt the rumble rising from his chest, though she could not hear it. When at last he raised the pitch to a level that she could hear, her head snapped around to the bull, as though she thought he had somehow come back to life. Seeing the figure still on the ground, she turned back to Sesshoumaru with a slightly puzzled expression until the realization hit that it was he who growled and that it was directed at her.

The woman leapt back, staring wide-eyed at him. For the first time, they were both able to take a good look at one another, and Sesshoumaru surprised himself again with his train of thought. The woman was stunning – _a male of any species could recognize that_ – and she looked so completely different from any human he had ever seen. The first difference he noticed was her hair: pale ringlets, nearly as pale as his own hair, though with a golden touch rather than his silver, cascaded from a knot high on the back of her head – surprisingly neat considering her run through the forest. He imagined it would fall to the middle of her back if she were to set it free. The taiyoukai had only ever seen shades of black and brown on a human and wondered at her peculiar hair color. Her eyes were large and round, not almond-shaped, but the color was more surprising even than the shape. They were a deep violet and he had the feeling that they might change, grow lighter or darker, with her moods. At the moment she was clearly very frightened. It astonished him to see anything other than brown, black or the rare blue. He thought only youkai physical traits ranged such that they included the hair and eye color of this human woman.

Sesshoumaru's final observation of note was the woman's attire. It reminded him vaguely of the indecent clothing of that miko Inuyasha insisted on dragging with him everywhere. _The miko… That's it… That scent._ Both Inuyasha's miko and this woman had a similar quality to their scent, though even they were not entirely alike. Sesshoumaru's eyes continued to linger on the woman's strange attire. Even on the miko he had never seen anything like it. The hem of the garment reached her ankles, like any proper kimono, but the cut and fit of it were something else entirely. It flowed and flared when she moved and occasionally the taiyoukai caught a glimpse of her even stranger footwear. The soles were held onto her foot by thin straps, much like sandals, though the tall heel caused her to walk and the balls of her feet. _That is not practical at all._

Sesshoumaru's gaze climbed back up the length of her body to her torso. He couldn't help but to stare. _How is that garment staying on the woman?_ Her shoulders were completely bare save for the sheerest fabric he had yet seen tied about her slender neck to hang down her back. _Surprising that the bull did not snatch that up and strangle her. Well, he probably would not have had the capacity to think of it anyway._ She was still breathing heavily, and it seemed that her chest threatened to burst from the confines of her clothing, but somehow she remained modest. The full effect, however, was not lost on Sesshoumaru. Her hair, her eyes, the shimmering silver fabric – all gave the woman an air of ethereal beauty. _She must be someone of some standing, but from where?_

It was clear that the strange woman was sizing him up as well. She had yet to take her eyes off of him, when suddenly her eyes grew wider still and she brought a hand up to cover her mouth. Then she said… something. At first, Sesshoumaru thought he had misheard, but it was unthinkable that his sensitive ears should fail him. When the woman spoke again, this time he did quirk a brow as he stared. This only seemed to make the woman more animated and she continued in what Sesshoumaru could only guess was a strange language – or simply hysterical gibberish.

Sesshoumaru glanced away for a moment as he heard Rin enter the clearing. The woman turned as well and once again covered her mouth with one hand, leaning forward slightly while the other seemed to involuntarily point at the young girl – Sesshoumaru pointedly looked away lest that strange garment give up its battle to keep her covered _Strange human_ – as she said something directed at Rin. Unable to comprehend what the woman could possibly be saying to his ward, he decided that he did not like the gesture and took a step toward Rin, eyes narrowing slightly.

The woman jumped as she watched Sesshoumaru insinuate himself between the child and her. She looked up at him, puzzled then back to Rin, who had begun to speak.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! You have made a new friend! But why does she talk funny? Rin cannot understand what she says."

"Be silent, Rin." He looked down at the child as she clutched the leg of his hakama and peered at the woman with wide brown eyes.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Immediately realizing her mistake, Rin covered her mouth and stepped back behind Sesshoumaru's leg. _Humans…_ He turned back to the woman who wore a stricken expression. She turned her gaze from where Rin had been standing to Sesshoumaru's face. She spoke again, the inflection suggesting to Sesshoumaru that she might have asked a question. He raised a brow at her and gave a sidelong look. He did not wish to appear ignorant, only to make it clear that she made no sense to him. It seemed that he had just confirmed her fears, as she collapsed on the ground, staring up at him with panicked tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.

In an odd moment of expression, Sesshoumaru sighed, barely noticed by the human, and turned his gaze toward the night sky, as if beseeching whomever might be watching to please stop throwing human females in his path, especially females who stirred a certain… pity that he could not ignore. He growled low to himself, startling the woman on the ground. Scenting her fright again, Sesshoumaru looked down. She was trying to back away from him and was tangling herself miserably in the folds of her clothing. He rolled his eyes – mentally of course – and stopped her. It wouldn't do to have an hysterical woman causing trouble in his forest; though he could let the next youkai or hanyou take care of the problem – the idea had crossed his mind several times. Still…

The woman froze and stared wide-eyed in fear when Sesshoumaru knelt and grabbed her wrist. Mentally cursing his half-brother for "relieving" him of his other arm, he let go and held his hand up, making it clear that she shouldn't move. He turned and pulled Rin to his front and sat her down before the woman.

"Sessh-" Rin looked up at him, but he silenced her with a look.

"Wait, Rin."

Sesshoumaru returned his stony gaze to the woman and noticed that she had recovered well. There was still a trace of fear on her scent, but puzzlement and curiosity had won their battle with fear in taking precedence in her expression. She couldn't know that her puzzlement was mirrored on his own mental image of himself. Surely he must be growing soft. _Of course not. This Sesshoumaru does what he wishes when he wishes to do it._ His actions now were clearly no exception.

The woman looked at him now, apprehensive yet curious. Sesshoumaru hoped that she was more intelligent than the average human; he was unused to making himself understood without resorting to violence. _Where to begin…_ He pointed to Rin, keeping he gaze on the woman before him, "Rin."

"Hai? Oh…" The child had twisted and looked up at him, but saw that he was not actually speaking to her and turned back, fascinated by the strange woman.

It seemed that Rin's response actually helped Sesshoumaru in his cause, for the woman's eyes flicked down to the girl and back up to meet his gaze again. She pointed at her, "Rin?" Sesshoumaru nodded once and held his hand out to the woman, raising an eyebrow in question. She looked from Rin, to his face again and down at his hand.

"Oh!" She smiled widely and pointed to herself, "Vanessa," to Rin, "Rin," and finally looked up at Sesshoumaru, smiling in expectation.

He straightened and looked down his nose at her, "Sesshoumaru," surprising himself yet again with the exclusion of the honorific. He reasoned that it meant nothing if she did not understand the significance. He would simply instill the importance in her later. _Later? Don't get too deeply involved._ The woman – Vanessa – paused, turning the name over on her tongue and looked up at him, "S-Sesshoumaru?" Sesshoumaru nodded once more, rose smoothly to his feet, and strode toward the trees, leaving Vanessa to stare after him.

"Rin, she will be with us for a while. See that she follows."

The girl practically squealed in delight, "Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" and took Vanessa's hand to help her to her feet. Out of the corner of his eye Sesshoumaru saw that the girl did not let go and began pulling the woman in her move to follow her guardian, chattering away in a distinctly "Rin" fashion.

Sesshoumaru listened as Rin began to point out plants and other objects, giving Vanessa a name to repeat for each. Eventually, Vanessa turned the game around and Rin was repeating words in the strange new language. The two humans behind him began trading terms, laughing together as they struggled over the strange new sounds. He listened absently, remembering each exchange for anything that might be useful in the future. His eyes softened in what some might recognize as a smile, though the rest of his face remained blank. It would be good for Rin to have a female influence – at least for a little while.

A/N: So, this is how I think Sesshoumaru thinks. He's very reserved conversationally, but I think his mind is wild with thoughts that he needs to filter through with every encounter – thoughts to himself – or about himself, rationalization, decisions… The words he speaks are really only the tip of the iceberg that makes up our beloved Sesshoumaru. I tried to portray his ego and self-importance without making him too… cheesy. I hope I succeeded?


	3. The First Night

Into the East

Chapter three: The first night

Posted: 3 July 2006

Characters originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else is mine

Vanessa stared at the receding back of the man who in so short a time had become savior, threat, and then seemingly a guide to her. Sesshoumaru. It was such an odd name, but not entirely unexpected after everything that had happened since she first plunged into this world. First she's attacked by a giant cow, ran headlong into Sesshoumaru while he dispatched the bull-man, Sesshoumaru _growled_ – nearly scaring her to death before she pulled away from him.

At first she could only stare. He was tall and had long – exceedingly long - silver hair and wore white silk clothing and some sort of strange armor with spikes or giant fangs protruding from his breastplate and the curve at his left shoulder. Over his right shoulder, he wore a large, furry, pelt of some kind. She noticed then that he had only one arm, yet somehow that only seemed to increase the power of his presence, but what really caught her attention, just as the first time she looked at him were his eyes. They were deep, ageless, intense and an amber-gold that she had never before seen. In a word, he was beautiful. Finally her mouth caught up and she tried apologizing, hoping that she hadn't offended him, but to make matters worse, Vanessa began babbling like a fool. _If my mother could have seen me… Though in my defense, prep school didn't exactly _prepare _me for this kind of situation._

It was about then that she had realized that there was a distinct language barrier. As if things couldn't get worse, Vanessa found herself somewhere where no one could understand her. When she had tried to run away, she got hopelessly tangled in her dress and was immensely surprised when Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrist, yet made no other move to harm her. He simply gazed at her with his intense golden eyes, apparently hoping she would understand since he let go and brought the little girl in front of him. Previously, he had stepped in front of her when Vanessa recognized her and tried speaking to the girl. Now she understood his defensiveness as caution when he had no idea what she might be saying. Vanessa quickly understood, or at least hoped she understood, when Sesshoumaru appeared to be introducing the girl. He was definitely a puzzle, though she knew that unless they could speak the same language it would take a long while to sort out all of the pieces.

Reluctantly, she brought her attention back to the small girl clinging to her hand. Rin seemed more than excited to have Vanessa there. _I wonder if Sesshoumaru is her father. Where is her mother?_ Of course, those were questions that would have to wait as well.

Even though it was growing ever darker, Rin tried to point out various plants and the occasional animal, teaching Vanessa their names. It seemed that Rin saw her as a sort of project, but it helped pass the time anyway, until Sesshoumaru stopped in a small clearing.

Since introducing himself, Sesshoumaru had yet to speak another word, though Rin more than made up for his silence with her chatter. Now he turned to Rin and said a few words, after which Rin promptly disappeared through some bushes only to return moments later with a blanket under each arm. As she laid them out on the grass she smiled up at Vanessa and gestured to them, curling up herself in one corner. _Apparently we're camping here?_

Unsure and not quite comfortable with the presence of the strange man, Vanessa glanced at Sesshoumaru who was propped against the base of a tree, his single arm resting on his knee. He looked alert, yet relaxed, seemingly at ease with his surroundings and confident that there would be no trouble. Turning his gaze toward her momentarily he nodded only once before returning to his scan of the surrounding trees. _Well, if the child feels safe enough…_ Warily, she pulled back the top blanket and crawled underneath next to Rin.

Certain she would never be able to fall asleep, Vanessa watched Sesshoumaru. He hardly looked fatigued and she wondered if he would stay up the entire night just keeping watch. _But, what about tomorrow? Wouldn't he be tired from staying up all night?_ It made her feel slightly better to know that she wouldn't have to worry about any more hairy beasts attacking, but still a bit uneasy falling asleep with strangers. She must have been lying there for nearly thirty minutes, unable to sleep, when she felt a shift in the blanket and a tiny form crawling in front of her.

Vanessa smiled as the barely-awake Rin resettled herself, her tiny fists curling under her chin. As she wrapped her arms around the sleeping child, welcoming the extra warmth, just as Rin must have, she caught Sesshoumaru's gaze as his eyes flicked in her direction. She wasn't sure if he would take it as a threat to the child so she just smiled and shrugged slightly. Sesshoumaru gazed at her intently for a moment before raising an elegant eyebrow and returning once again to his watch. Finally, Vanessa closed her eyes, snuggled Rin closer to her as though she were an oversized teddy bear, and fell asleep.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru continued his slow scan of the surrounding trees, reaching out with all of his senses, demonic and otherwise, to make certain that no other hostile youkai would disturb him or his sleeping females. _His_ females? When did that come about? Rin was undeniably _his_ human ward, but he had only just met this other female. Sesshoumaru decided then that she would stay only long enough for him to find a suitable village at which to leave her. Until then, he would keep watch over her as he had over Rin. They did not light a fire tonight. The smoke and light only served to dull his senses. It was not overly chilly and he wanted to be certain that this strange new woman did not attract any unwanted visitors. Since the two females slept under the same blanket, he was certain that their shared warmth would keep Rin warm.

He could feel the woman's eyes on him as he kept watch and very nearly felt her curiosity, but what could he say? Sesshoumaru was generally not one for conversation, and even if he were, nothing he could say would be understood. _Better to keep silent and watch everything unfold._ He wondered who this woman really was, how she could adapt so quickly to everything that had happened today. She had certainly been frightened, both of the bull-youkai and Sesshoumaru himself, yet she had always recovered quickly, fear replaced by curiosity. _That curiosity of hers will surely be the end of her._

Keen ears caught the slight rustle of fabric and on the edge of his vision, Sesshoumaru saw Rin crawl around to reposition herself in front of Vanessa. _That child is far too trusting_. Still, he gave no indication that he noticed or cared, until he saw Vanessa move. Much to his surprise, she only wrapped her arms protectively around the girl and… _smiled_ at him. She had caught his eye again and looked back at him unflinching and actually seemed rather amused at Rin's actions. Deciding that the woman still posed no threat to Rin, Sesshoumaru returned to scanning their surroundings and presently, the sounds of Vanessa's own even breathing joined Rin's.

Rin loved contact with other people - Sesshoumaru knew that. Occasionally, he allowed the girl to spend the night in his lap where she gleefully curled up and snuggled into him, clutching his haori in her tiny fists in her sleep; however, usually she curled up beside him while he sat and kept watch. He still could not understand how she came to adore him so when she knew that he could strike her down as easily as look at her. But… could he? After all the time Rin had spent under his care, Sesshoumaru was uncertain that he could ever abandon her, leaving her at a suitable village as was his original plan. He tried often to act indifferent to her presence, but somehow the tiny human had wormed her way into a heart that Sesshoumaru himself had log ago forgotten existed. It unnerved him to no end that a mere human could stir such feeling and he was certain that it could only be perceived as weakness.

As the night progressed he wondered idly how Vanessa would react to Ah-Un. He had told Rin to leave him where he slept outside the clearing. If Vanessa had never encountered a dragon, the morning might prove interesting indeed. Thankfully, Sesshoumaru had left Jaken to handle matters at home. He had the growing suspicion that Vanessa had never before encountered youkai and the little toad with all of his hostility toward humans might put her into a panic. He found it slightly amusing that he was more concerned with her reaction to Jaken than to the twin-headed dragon. The woman certainly was a puzzle.

The rest of the night progressed without incident and as the sun crested the horizon and began filtering through the trees. Rin, used to waking at such early hours, stirred and consequently brought Vanessa back to the world of the waking. Vanessa looked about for a moment, regaining her bearings and, with a smile, gave Rin a final squeeze before letting go, sending the girl into a fit of giggles as she ran to greet the still-wakeful Sesshoumaru, "Good morning Sesshoumaru-sama! Did you have a good night? Lady Vanessa stayed the whole night. How long will she be with us? I like how she hugged me when I woke up –"

"Rin."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Tend to Ah-Un. We leave after breakfast."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama! Right away!" With that the girl scampered off to be sure that Ah-Un had food and water nearby.

Sesshoumaru had built a fire when the sun's first light shone through the trees. From his travels with Rin, and from the numerous villages on his lands, he had learned that humans prefer their meat to be cooked – and while they traveled, meat would their primary food source unless Rin took it upon herself to pick some berries or wild vegetables. While Rin tended to Ah-Un and Vanessa tended to her own needs, Sesshoumaru quickly hunted down skinned and dressed a pair of rabbits for the humans, and set them each on a spit over the fire.

Rampant thoughts surged through Sesshoumaru's mind, barely graspable before moving on to the next, but what stood out the most – what kept returning with every thought was the oddity that sat silently on the other side of the flames from the taiyoukai of the west. It annoyed him that she should plague him so, and yet… he was intrigued also. Neither had yet said another word to one another since their "introduction" the previous night, not that it would have made much difference.

Now he watched in fascination as her hands began to fly over her knot of hair – it had grown quite messy as she slept. She plucked countless bits of metal out of her curls and finally the golden cascade was set free. Slender fingers ran along her scalp and shook the worst of the tangles from her hair. Idly, Sesshoumaru noted that he was correct in his assumption that the pale curls would reach to the middle of her back if set free.

Vanessa was staring at the grass in front of her as she concentrated on her hair, oblivious to the watching taiyoukai. He tried to be discreet, concentrating on the roasting meat to hide his interest. The simple fact of the matter was that he was curious and he wondered for the umpteenth time how a mere human could so capture his interest. She appeared deep in thought and it seemed more habit than anything else as she pulled her hair over one should and combed her fingers through the remaining tangles. Sesshoumaru noticed her brow furrow in thought, yet she continued her rhythmic combing and seemed almost soothed by her own actions. He wondered if her hands through his hair would have the same calming effect on him. _Where did _that_ thought come from? This Sesshoumaru could – _would_ – not possibly fall to such a level as to allow a human to touch his person so intimately._ Startled out of his daze, Sesshoumaru turned his gaze back to the pair of rabbits, as though his look alone would make them cook faster.

Movement at the edge of his vision caused Sesshoumaru's gaze to wander back in Vanessa's direction. She had begun twisting her mass of hair and coiling it into another knot on the crown of her head. As she re-inserted the bits of metal, she caught Sesshoumaru staring and blushed, giving him a funny little smile. Immediately he dropped his gaze to the roasting meat and, deciding that they were sufficiently cooked, rose to collect Rin. The woman had to go. She had a strange effect on him and he was certain he didn't like it. No, one human charge was more than enough for any sensible youkai. _A sensible youkai would have left the child where she lay._ Yet not even Sesshoumaru could suppress the flicker of warmth he felt at the sight before him.

Rin sat on the ground between Ah-Un's fore claws weaving a crown of flowers for Un to match its twin, already gracing Ah's head. The girl positively could not help herself when it came to flowers.

"Rin."

The girl started slightly at the sound of her name and grinned brightly up at her guardian, holding out the flowers in her hands for Sesshoumaru to inspect her progress. "Do you like it Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru gazed down at her, allowing his eyes to soften just a fraction, knowing that the unusually perceptive child would see the smile hidden in his golden depths.

"Come. Your breakfast is ready."

"Oh! Thank you Sesshoumaru-sama!" she responded, springing to her feet and running to his side and following him back into the clearing.

VvVvVvVvV

Vanessa was lost in her own thoughts as she combed her hair with her fingers. Thankfully, the style that she had chosen for the party required more bobby pins than hairspray – it didn't seem as though she would see a shower any time soon. _The party…_ She had wanted to get away, but this was a little bit more than she had bargained for. Wondering how on earth she would get home only led her to wonder _where_ on earth _here_ was. Somehow, she wasn't frightened, only… confused. By everything she had ever learned or experienced, what happened yesterday was simply impossible. People can't just step through a portal and enter another world, and yet she had done it.

Determining her hair sufficiently detangled, Vanessa broke from her reverie and began gathering it behind her head to twist it in a more manageable bun. She loved her long hair, but figured that if she would be traipsing through the woods, it would only turn into a hot, sweaty mess. As she began re-pinning her hair, she caught Sesshoumaru staring at her and almost laughed. It seemed that no matter where they were, men were fascinated with the grooming habits of women. She couldn't count the number of times that Bryce would just stand in the doorway and watch as she applied her make-up or did her hair. _Bryce…_ Vanessa wondered what had happened back at the party when she didn't return. She hadn't meant to make anyone worry; she just couldn't contain her curiosity.

She watched as Sesshoumaru rose and walked out of the clearing, presumably to retrieve Rin from wherever he had sent her earlier. It was odd. He seemed so distant, almost cold and yet the little girl clearly adored him. More than ever she wished that they could talk, certain that he would have a fascinating story.

After a few minutes Rin returned with Sesshoumaru, carrying a half-completed flower crown. The image suddenly popped into Vanessa's mind of a flower crown perched atop the silver head of the severe, stoic man before her and before she could stop herself, she giggled. It was short-lived, however, due to the look she received from Sesshoumaru. _How can refusing to show expression… show so much expression?_ Clearly, he didn't like – or wasn't used to – the idea of someone laughing at him. Still, she couldn't contain the smile that stayed on her lips. _He's so solemn. I wonder if he's ever laughed. I may have to work on that._ She paused with a thoughtful expression. _I sound as though I'm staying for a while…_

Vanessa didn't have long to contemplate how long she would stay wherever she was due to the fact that Sesshoumaru had motioned Rin to sit beside her by the fire and proceeded to hand each of them a roasted rabbit. They were small, just large enough for a meal and Vanessa wondered if Sesshoumaru would have anything. _First he stays up all night and now he's not even having breakfast?_ She thanked him softly, hoping he would understand the sentiment if not the words themselves and he nodded, very slightly, before settling himself once more at the base of the tree. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, but Vanessa could tell that he was not asleep; he had the same relaxed-alert presence from the night before, the difference being that his eyes were closed.

Having never eaten rabbit-on-a-stick before, Vanessa watched as Rin happily tore into her own. _Well, there's a first time for everything._ She sniffed the meat and tentatively took a bite. It actually tasted… good! Sure it could use some seasoning, but the natural flavor combined with the slight smoky flavor from the wood fire made it quite tasty. _If mother could see me now… Sitting in the dirt in a formal dress eating roasted rabbit on a stick._ The thought made her giggle again, earning her a sidelong look from Sesshoumaru. She just grinned and shook her head as if to say that it was nothing important. _He must think I'm an absolute nut._

After Rin and Vanessa had finished their meal, Sesshoumaru doused the fire while Rin gathered the blankets. All the while, Vanessa felt rather useless. Sesshoumaru and Rin had their routine down so well that Vanessa was simply an extra body. Finally the pair appeared ready to leave and motioned for Vanessa to follow, but when they reached the edge of the clearing, Sesshoumaru hesitated and looked down at her. _Funny, he doesn't seem the type to hesitate at anything…_ He held up a hand for Vanessa to stop and spoke to Rin who promptly disappeared through the bushes.

Sesshoumaru took a step closer to Vanessa just as a great, scaly head poked its way through the foliage. Vanessa gasped and very nearly jumped back when she felt Sesshoumaru's hand on her shoulder in a firm, but non-threatening grip. She looked up at him and, heart pounding, turned back to find that a second head had broken through the tree line. This time she felt a laugh bubble past her lips. The second head, while just as scaly, seemed slightly less fearsome with a colorful flower crown atop its head. Satisfied that she was not going to run, Sesshoumaru released his grip on Vanessa's shoulder and gestured toward the twin-headed dragon, saying, "Ah-Un."

Taking in the beast's bridle and saddle as it stepped into the clearing behind Rin, Vanessa assumed that "Ah-Un" must be its name. _Rin must have been making crowns for it before breakfast. Imagine that… a real, live dragon._ After the initial shock wore off, Vanessa thought that Ah-Un was kind of cute… in a scaly sort of way. _No one back home would believe me if I tried telling them what I've seen just in the past twenty-four hours… If I ever get home, that is._

Vanessa watched as the dragon knelt down, allowing Rin to scramble up onto its back after first securing the blankets. Sesshoumaru took a step forward and gestured that Vanessa follow suit with Rin before taking hold of Ah-Un's reins. She mounted behind Rin and was amazed that the dragon simply followed placidly behind Sesshoumaru.

After a short while, Vanessa removed her shoes and secured them next to the blankets, letting her bare feet dangle while Rin scooted back to lean against her. The gentle rocking of Ah-Un's steps lulled her into a near-sleep daze as various shades of green passed by. _Peaceful… _

VvVvVvVvV

Judging by the human woman's initial reaction to Ah-Un, Sesshoumaru thought it best not to take to the sky just yet. Still, he was impressed by her continuing ability to recover. He thought she was going to bolt when Un came through the foliage, and was immeasurably surprised when she _laughed_ at Ah with his crown of flowers. Admittedly, he did pose a comical sight, but the fear had rolled off of her in waves when she first saw Un. He almost wished that they could speak, just so he could know what in the world went on inside her head – almost.

Sesshoumaru was not much of a conversationalist. It required that one be _interested_ in the subject at hand - or at least to be able to pretend. Sesshoumaru abhorred telling lies and as such found little use for the layers upon layers of intrigue that accompanied social gatherings. When asked a question to which he knew the answer would be disliked at best, he would either remain silent – earning him the reputation of being arrogant – or speak the honest truth – naming him cold. Simply put, he had grown too emotionally detached to care. It had been a long, _long_ time since Sesshoumaru had anyone remotely close to what he might call a friend. Leadership and ruling his lands were much simpler when emotion could be locked away.

The two females accompanying Sesshoumaru at the moment seemed to display far too much emotion. Twice already Vanessa had burst into fits of giggling for no apparent reason. _That is not entirely true… This Sesshoumaru is simply unable to read minds._ Once again the thought came that she is a most unusual creature._ Unusual creatures seem to flock to Inuyasha… I wonder…_

Sesshoumaru turned back and found the pair near-sleeping on Ah-Un's back. "Rin. Vanessa." The pair came fully awake with a start and turned to Sesshoumaru. He looked pointedly at Rin and told her to be sure Vanessa had a good hold on Ah-Un. "We will be taking to the air, be sure she does not fall off." He waited a moment to be sure the pair were secure and gathered his youki at his feet, signaling to Ah-Un to head skyward. The high-pitched squeal that followed lift-off made Sesshoumaru want to cover his ears, but he turned anyway and saw Vanessa clutching the back of the saddle. Clearly she had not expected this particular dragon to be able to fly.

It was too much fun. Not that he _enjoyed_ tormenting the girl, but he was interested to see her reaction to new situations. Sesshoumaru looked over his shoulder once more and caught Vanessa staring at him with her jaw hanging open. He quirked an eyebrow at her and she shook herself and directed her gaze at his feet where a cloud of youki supported him as they rose higher into the sky. A smirk was barely concealed behind his mask of indifference as he watched Vanessa watching him. Content that she was not doing anything to jeopardize herself or Rin, Sesshoumaru turned back to the front and led the way toward their destination.

Several hours later Sesshoumaru looked over his shoulder and saw Rin lying on her belly dozing and an awestruck Vanessa gazing at the landscape sprawling below. He caught her attention and pointed to the small village below them. It seemed that she understood, since she nudged Rin awake and took a secure hold on Ah-Un, so Sesshoumaru signaled the dragon to begin their descent.

It wasn't long before they were safely on the ground once more and Sesshoumaru thought he caught a brief flicker of relief pass over Vanessa's face, but then she just looked at him expectantly to lead the way. Sesshoumaru took a breath and prepared for the explosion he would soon be facing.

They followed the well-worn path toward the village. Just short of breaking through the trees, Sesshoumaru stopped and told Rin to wait for him with Vanessa and Ah-Un, and after a moment's hesitation, left Toukijin and Tenseiga. He didn't want any more conflict than was necessary and knew that even without the demon sword – and his left arm - he was more than a match for his half brother. Sesshoumaru really only wanted to talk for once and hoped that someone would have the insight and take notice.

Sesshoumaru stepped between the trees and into the clearing surrounding the village and quickly picked up and followed the scent of his hanyou half-brother. It didn't take long to find the old miko's hut where the group often stayed and before he could announce his presence, the tempest burst through the door, followed at a more reasonable pace by the rest of his party.

"Sesshoumaru! What do you want here!"

"Inuyasha. It has been a while Little Brother."


	4. First Encounters

A/N: Enter regular characters and –drum roll please – dialogue! Hopefully this will be a bit more interesting. Enjoy!

Into the East

Chapter four: First Encounters

Posted: 12 July 2006

Characters originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else is mine

"Sesshoumaru! What do you want here!"

"Inuyasha. It has been a while. Little Brother."

"Not long enough, what do you want?"

Sesshoumaru watched as his half-brother drew Tetsusaiga while the rest of his group formed a loose half-circle behind him.

"Calm yourself Inuyasha. This Sesshoumaru merely wishes to speak with your miko." Inuyasha visibly bristled at the statement. _He is more trouble than he is worth, yet I need to know why Vanessa and this miko smell similar._ Sesshoumaru didn't have long to plan his approach before Inuyasha snarled at him and raised his sword.

"You won't come anywhere near Kagome."

_Kagome… the miko._ He nimbly dodged the wide arc of Tetsusaiga's path and refrained from lashing out at the hanyou – it would hardly get him any nearer to his goal. "Set aside your petty anger, you fool. This Sesshoumaru has no wish to fight you today."

Inuyasha leapt into the air, preparing to bring a crushing blow down on his half-brother's head – as though Sesshoumaru would simply stand there and allow it. _His moves are entirely too predictable._ "I don't believe that, Sesshoumaru. You just can't help yourself."

The taiyoukai stepped aside at the last moment, letting Inuyasha crash into the dirt before leaping back to his friends. Sesshoumaru gazed at him coolly, "Enough, Inuyasha."

The strangely-clad miko took a step forward and placed her hand on the hanyou's shoulder, "Inuyasha…"

"Stay out of this Kagome."

"Inuyasha, I really think – "

"Kagome! I said stay out of it!"

Sesshoumaru watched the exchange with mild indifference, though the young miko's efforts did not escape his notice. _At least _someone_ here has a head on their shoulders._ He continued to watch, now with veiled interest, as the miko's face suddenly darkened and, retracting her hand, she spoke almost sweetly through gritted teeth, "Inuyasha…"

_Interesting._ The half-breed seemed to recognize her tone and winced, ears flattening to his skull. "Inuyasha. SIT BOY! Next time you should listen to me!"

With a resounding crash, Inuyasha slammed face-first into the ground. Satisfied that Inuyasha would not interrupt again, the miko stepped over him and tentatively approached Sesshoumaru, bowing respectfully. "Sesshoumaru-sama. I couldn't help but notice that you left your swords behind. I believe that you truly just wish to talk, may I invite you inside?" Sesshoumaru noted that she had tactfully refrained from saying "un-armed" as well as seemed to understand that while he may not have his swords, he was not weaponless. She was polite and respectful, everything that a proper hostess should be and Sesshoumaru gave her a short nod of his head before replying, "You may, but first this Sesshoumaru would like to retrieve his companions. This Sesshoumaru did not wish harm to come upon them by a wayward attack." He glanced pointedly down at the recovering hanyou.

"Certainly, Sesshoumaru-sama. We'll wait for you in Kaede's hut." She bowed again and retreated toward the hut, collecting her own companions as she went. Inuyasha backed toward the hut reluctantly, glaring at his half-brother. _This should be interesting indeed._

Sesshoumaru returned to the cluster of trees and found Rin trying to calm a very anxious Vanessa. _Of course, she would not know the nature of the exchange._ He felt a tiny flicker of sympathy for the poor, lost creature. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" he looked down at the child. "Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin heard Inuyasha-sama shouting and Lady Vanessa got worried when he attacked you. But Rin tried to make her understand that Sesshoumaru-sama would not be hurt so easily. She still worried though, Sesshoumaru-sama. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Rin. Come. Bring Vanessa. We must speak with the miko."

"Hai!" She promptly took one of Vanessa's hands in both of her own, smiling reassuringly at the older female while she gently tugged her after Sesshoumaru.

The trio quickly entered the village and made their way to Kaede's hut. When they reached the entrance, Sesshoumaru held the door flap aside as Rin and Vanessa entered before ducking in himself. Inuyasha's group sat around the fire pit and stared wide-eyed at the new arrivals, more specifically at Vanessa. Sesshoumaru knew that they were baffled by his guardianship of Rin and he could see their minds working overtime trying to comprehend why the woman before them was still living as well.

He thought it slightly comical that they thought him so heartless. He did not think highly of humans, true – perhaps that was an understatement – but that didn't mean he was a mindless, senseless killer. When he killed humans, it was for good reason. He did not yet have a reason to eliminate Vanessa. For now, Rin was enjoying her company.

The miko Kagome was the first to find her voice, "Sesshoumaru-sama? Um… I'm not sure how to ask this politely, but… who is she?" Sesshoumaru turned to her, locking his golden eyes with her brown.

"She stumbled into this Sesshoumaru's path yesterday. Her scent has similar qualities to your own. Have you any idea from where she might have come?" The group stared at him, seemingly shocked that he had strung together more than a single sentence. They seemed to realize also that this was as close to polite conversation as they would likely come. Kagome glanced from Vanessa back to Sesshoumaru, "Doesn't she know?"

"We have not been able to converse. It would seem that she speaks another tongue. This has made communication… difficult"

Kagome's mouth formed a round "oh" as she took in the rather confused-looking woman opposite her, then looked back at Sesshoumaru, "Do you know her name?"

"She is called Vanessa."

"That doesn't sound Japanese at all. I wonder…" She turned back to Vanessa and addressed her, "Vanessa, I know you don't understand, but… could you say something?" Vanessa shrugged and shook her head, but she did say a few words, and Kagome gasped, turning with a beaming smile to Sesshoumaru. "I knew school wasn't such a waste!"

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru took off into the village, but it was clear that he wanted Vanessa and Rin to stay in the small stand of trees at the edge of the clearing surrounding the village. Rin seemed confident that he would return shortly and plopped down beside Ah-Un and occupied herself with bundling grasses and tiny flowers together into little bouquets. Vanessa sighed and sat beside her.

Barely five minutes had passed when Vanessa heard shouting and jumped up to run toward the village, but Rin caught her hand and tugged desperately to get her to stop. Instead, she moved just close enough to peer between the trees. Vanessa gasped as she saw the crowd gathered before Sesshoumaru, led by a man in a red outfit holding a _huge_ sword. _Sesshoumaru left both of his here! What was he thinking?_ He was shouting at Sesshoumaru and then suddenly he attacked! She wanted to run over and stop them… somehow, but Rin clung to her skirt preventing her. Vanessa couldn't very well leave the girl, and quickly found that she needn't have worried about Sesshoumaru. He dodged every attack the other white-haired man threw at him, though he himself never tried to attack. _What's going on?_

Vanessa could just hear Sesshoumaru speaking in his curiously calm voice to the other man, but the only responses he received were more shouts. They appeared to be at a standoff and one of the women with the red-clad man was trying to speak, but he kept interrupting. Then suddenly, much to Vanessa's surprise, he was slammed into the ground. _What just happened?_ The woman who had been trying to speak approached Sesshoumaru and they exchanged a few words before parting, the woman and her group walking into the wooden hut and Sesshoumaru to Vanessa and Rin.

Sesshoumaru wasn't exactly a _friend_, but he was the first to show Vanessa any sort of kindness, regardless of how distant he may be. She wasn't sure what she could have done, but she couldn't stand it if he were to be hurt. Thankfully, he returned and spoke to Rin. She chattered away for a moment then took Vanessa's hand to follow Sesshoumaru… back to the village! That man had just attacked him and now he was going back? _What is going on here?_

Rin and Vanessa were led into the wooden hut and directed to take a place near the fire while Sesshoumaru joined them. He had retrieved his swords, but leaned them against the wall near the door before taking a seat. Vanessa noted that he had placed them far enough away so as not to be an immediate threat, yet easily accessible should they be needed. _Very diplomatic, considering their first reaction to him._ She felt a little better that Sesshoumaru had is weapons nearby, but was still not quite comfortable with all of the strangers.

She took a moment to take them all in since it seemed that, for the time being at least, she was forgotten as Sesshoumaru and the woman from outside spoke. To her right sat an old woman in a strange white and red outfit with an eye patch over one eye. Next to her sat a man in strange black and violet robes, holding a gold staff. He appeared to be relaxed, listening intently to the short discussion unfolding before him. To his right sat a woman in green and pink robes with a small black and tan cat in her lap with… two tails? And red eyes? It seemed to catch her eye and mewled softly. _Cute… in a slightly creepy sort of way…_ Immediately to her right was the man with the sword. His outfit was entirely red with some kind of white under clothing. He had violet beads around his neck and clutched a sheathed sword to his chest. _No way that could be the same weapon he was swinging around outside._ As her gaze drifted upward, Vanessa's eyes widened in surprise to see golden eyes, very similar to Sesshoumaru's, but infinitely more expressive. At the moment, he was not hesitating to show his absolute loathing of Sesshoumaru. A slight movement drew Vanessa's eyes further upward to his snowy white hair and furry… ears. They were flicking in every direction like a dog's searching for unfamiliar sounds or threats. _How on earth did I miss those?_ Finally, next to the dog-eared man sat the young woman who was speaking with Sesshoumaru. Vanessa now noticed that she wore a schoolgirl uniform similar to her own from her private high school. She had a green skirt with a white and green sailor top and a red tie. In her lap lay a bundle of reddish fur. What it was, she couldn't tell just then.

Vanessa's assessment of the strangers took mere minutes, but time seemed to have stood still while she took in the strangeness of them all. _Who are these people and where in the world did they come from?_ She was lost in her own thoughts for a moment until she heard her name. Sesshoumaru had told the schoolgirl Vanessa's name and she turned, addressing Vanessa by name and asked her some sort of question. She seemed to expect an answer so Vanessa shrugged and shook her head saying, "I'm sorry… I don't know what you're saying." It seemed to be an acceptable answer as the girl turned to Sesshoumaru with a bright smile.

The girl turned back to Vanessa with a soft smile and said, "Vanessa. My name is Kagome… Can you tell us where you are from and how you got here?" Vanessa stared at her for a moment, allowing her brain to register the fact that Kagome had just spoken to her in perfect – if slightly accented – English. A choked sob escaped her throat as she then fully realized just how lost she had felt up until then, causing Sesshoumaru to stiffen so ever slightly beside her. "I don't even know where 'here' is!"

Kagome leaned over and whispered something to Sesshoumaru who caught Vanessa's eye before nodding. Then Kagome rose and offered her hand to Vanessa. "Come on, let's talk outside." Vanessa hesitated for a moment and looked to Sesshoumaru. He nodded to her she thought she caught a flash of something in his eyes that said _you have only to call me_. She let Kagome help her up and followed her out the door.

The afternoon was warm with a slight breeze as the two women walked a short distance from the hut and sat in the grass under the shade of a tree. Kagome seemed nice enough and Vanessa felt better being away from all those strangers – not that Kagome wasn't a stranger, but at least they could speak the same language. "So Vanessa… where are you from exactly?"

"Boston mostly."

"Boston? Where is that?"

"Oh, um… Eastern United States?"

"Oh! Wow. Um… you might find this hard to believe, but…" Kagome fiddled with a blade of grass as she thought of how best to break the news, "Vanessa, you're in Japan."

"Japan! You're kidding, right? How did I get here?" _And who was it that just stepped through a strange portal?_

"That's not all."

"What else?"

"Vanessa, what year is it?" Vanessa looked at the other woman as if she were crazy.

"It's 2006. Has been for a few months."

"Not here."

"What do you mean 'not here'?" She couldn't tell if Kagome was crazy or just pulling her leg, but when she spoke again, there was no sign of either.

"Look around you. What you see is an area that is part of what is now known as Tokyo."

Vanessa's eyes widened as the information sunk in. It would explain a lot of things, but… "How is that possible? I've gone back in time?" _Think strange portal._

"It seems that way. Somehow you and I have traveled nearly five hundred years into the past. What were you doing before you found yourself here?"

"I was at a party-"

"That would explain the dress." Kagome shook her head and smiled apologetically, "Sorry, go on."

"I was at a party and I went for a walk in the gardens and I found this strange arch just standing there in the middle of the woods. It was interesting, so I looked at it. Eventually runes began to glow blue, but I didn't know what they said. Then suddenly through the arch I saw a world unlike anything I'd seen before. Probably against my better judgment, I stepped through the arch and, well, here I am. The portal didn't stay though… It disappeared when I was through."

The women were silent for a moment, contemplating their conversation. Kagome looked over at Vanessa thoughtfully, "There might be a way… to get you back to modern-day Tokyo at least." Vanessa's eyes widened.

"Really? I'll try anything!"

"Somehow Inuyasha and I are both able to go back and forth through time. It might be possible for you to go too."

"What do I have to do?"

Kagome looked at her and laughed almost nervously, "You have to jump into a well. I would want to go with you of course. Maybe if someone that the well naturally accepts is there, you'll have a better chance of going through too."

"Um… I guess… Let's try it."

"Okay! We should tell the others first. I have the feeling that Lord Sesshoumaru would not be pleased with us if you just disappeared. As much as Inuyasha denies it, Lord Sesshoumaru holds very tightly to his honor."

Vanessa turned to Kagome, puzzled, "_Lord_ Sesshoumaru? Inuyasha?" Kagome's eyes widened. "Oh! Of course, how silly of me. I never introduced you to anyone. Inuyasha is the one with dog-ears, and yes. Sesshoumaru-sama is ruler of the Western Lands."

"I never knew… Sesshoumaru did seem possess a certain, I don't know, regality or something. Wow. How big are these 'Western Lands'?"

"Um… well, Japan is broken up into four main territories, North, East, South, and West. So I guess Sesshoumaru-sama is lord of about a quarter of all Japan." Vanessa paled at the news. Someone so important had taken it upon himself to help _her_? She was no one in this world. Kagome broke her out of her growing panic then.

"Wait, go back, you don't call him just 'Sesshoumaru' do you?"

"Of course. That's how he introduced himself to me."

"Wow. The others are NOT going to believe this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" Kagome hesitated, now uncertain whether telling Vanessa about Sesshoumaru would send her into a panic. "The thing is, Sesshoumaru doesn't exactly… like humans. I'm honestly surprised that he allowed you to come with him – even more surprised that he sought us out to try and help you, and to top it all of, he's let you call him by name without his title. I'm sure he's killed for less than that."

Vanessa had been staring at Kagome during the whole account, "Kagome… what do you mean 'humans'?" Kagome looked hesitant again, as if wondering how much the foreign girl could handle.

"Um… Sesshoumaru isn't exactly human. Well, that's an understatement. He's not human at all. He is youkai, a demon. In this time, humans and demons coexist – and not always peacefully. You know Inuyasha? The one with the dog-ears?" Vanessa nodded, not trusting her voice just yet, so Kagome continued. "He's a hanyou, a half-demon. Actually, he is Sesshoumaru's half brother by their father." At that, Vanessa's eyes widened in shock. _Is that how the brothers always act toward one another?_ She almost missed what Kagome said next. "Half-demons rate even lower than humans in youkai social standings, and lower than demons in human circles. That's why Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha don't get along. Mostly anyway. From what I understand, Sesshoumaru sees Inuyasha as a taint on his family's bloodline, because his mother was human – a princess, but still human. It was a shock to all of us that he came here only to talk. He and Inuyasha have had a lot of bloody battles." She grew quiet for a moment, thoughtful, "Shortly after I first came here, Sesshoumaru came after Inuyasha, searching for their father's tomb, but that's a long story and I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."

Vanessa laughed, "I don't think there's much left for me not to believe in after everything I've seen in just the past day and a half!"

Kagome smiled with her and continued, "I can understand that. Anyway, in the end it was Inuyasha that took Sesshoumaru's arm. Since then though, it almost seems as though Sesshoumaru is testing Inuyasha's strength. Though their battles since then have been brutal, Sesshoumaru hasn't killed him – or us – though he's had plenty of opportunity to do so. But not all demons hold the same views on humans, though. There are two other full youkai in our group. The two-tailed cat that was with Sango, the other young woman, is Kirara. She's a firecat demon and can fly and transform into a much larger version of herself – about the size of a large tiger. Finally, there's Shippou." Kagome smiled as she thought about the kitsune kit. Vanessa could tell that Kagome held a special place in her heart for this Shippou. "He was the one curled up on my lap when you came in. Shippou is a kitsune, a fox demon, but he's just a child. His parents were killed and he's stayed with us ever since."

_That must have been the red ball of fur. So there's Inuyasha, who seems to hate his brother, Kirara, the cat, Sango… a human? And the two others._ "So, Kagome… who are the other two? The man in the robes and the old woman?"

"Oh! I'm sorry, I'll have to introduce you properly when we go back in. The man is a Buddhist monk, named Miroku. Watch his hands … literally," she said with a wry smile, "and he'll probably ask you to bear his children. Usually Sango will hit him in the head when he says that, so don't be surprised. Otherwise, he's harmless enough. As much as they deny it, I think he and Sango will be married. The old woman is Kaede. She's the village priestess and sort of a grandmother to all of us. She shares her home when we're here and takes care of us. She's also been training me to use my own priestess powers. Why don't we go back now, and you can meet them properly? If you have any questions, just ask. I can act as a translator for you."

"Alright. I'd like to know that Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha aren't at each other's throats."

Kagome laughed and helped Vanessa up once more before leading the way back to the hut.

The pair returned to find everyone sitting in silence within the hut. Vanessa smiled at Rin and Sesshoumaru as she took her place once more and Kagome began the formal introductions. True to her word, when Kagome introduce Miroku, he did say something that she didn't understand and was promptly whacked in the head by Sango. Inuyasha and little Shippou just rolled their eyes. Shippou, now that Vanessa could see him properly, was absolutely adorable. He almost looked like a fox version of a faun from Roman myth. He had flaming red hair and green eyes, and from what she could tell, he had a human-looking torso, but pointed ears like Sesshoumaru. His lower half was that of a fox, with little paws for feet and a big bushy foxtail. He had a wide, toothy grin and Vanessa could see tiny fangs as Kagome gave him a bit of candy to keep him quiet. She could only imagine what fangs might be hidden in Sesshoumaru's mouth.

Still, even though Kagome told Vanessa that Sesshoumaru was a cold, heartless human-hater - well, maybe not in so many words - she couldn't see him as heartless or bloodthirsty. That didn't explain Rin, or herself for that matter. From what she could gather, he'd gone out of his way to bring her to this village when he could have just left her and been on his way. He didn't even have to help her with the bull-man, but he did. Sometimes, during their short time together, Vanessa had caught him staring at her and she thought she saw a barely-covered curiosity in his eyes. Maybe he was a demon and ruthless and powerful beyond imagination, but Vanessa had the feeling that he was misunderstood, but also that he liked the turn that the misunderstanding took. For whatever reason, he would not show open emotion, or even release so much as a smile. _Why?_ Maybe he thought that if others feared him he would not have to let them get close. _He must be so lonely._ Or maybe instilling fear in everyone that he met was a way of maintaining his position.

While Vanessa was lost in her own thoughts, the group struck up a conversation again, presumably on how to get Vanessa home. Miroku and Kagome did most of the talking and occasionally Kaede would give her input. They seemed to know the most about spells. Kagome had moved to sit beside Vanessa so that she could periodically whisper the progress of the discussion to her. In the end, no one was sure if it would work, but thought it worth a try anyway. Throughout the entire exchange, Vanessa noted, Sesshoumaru hadn't said a word. He only glanced between the speakers and occasionally to Vanessa. That is, until the conversation turned to something that was making Kagome look very uncomfortable. She was too busy being interrogated to translate, but from the looks Sesshoumaru kept shooting at the two women of the future, Vanessa could tell that Kagome must be telling him about the well. _He must not have known about Kagome's time traveling. Though I guess that's not something that you'd want let to get around._

Shippou and Rin had gone off to a corner to play by themselves while the adults talked. Vanessa wasn't sure if they had ever really talked before, but it appeared that neither really had anyone else their own age to play with. She smiled at the children, watching their carefree antics, though somehow she knew that both had seen terrible things.

Kagome nudged her then and asked if she would want to stay the night and try the well in the morning. Somehow the sun had begun to set. _Have we been here so long already?_ Vanessa nodded. It would probably be growing dark in her own time too, what would she do then? Besides, if she really was 500 years in the past, it wasn't likely that she would ever see these people again. She should make the most of it while she could. _If only I could take a bath…_

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru wasn't entirely sure what he was expecting to happen by bringing the woman here, but he was surprised when the young miko turned out to speak her language. When she spoke to Vanessa, Vanessa's breath hitched and she choked back a sob. Sesshoumaru felt his muscles tense, ready for action, but the expression on her face and the pure relief flooding off of the woman stayed his hand. Whatever the miko had said wasn't a threat.

When the miko came over to Sesshoumaru to suggest that she talk to Vanessa in private, he was wary. They had all agreed to an uneasy truce for the duration of the visit, but even so, he locked eyes with Vanessa to judge her reaction to the miko. She didn't appear afraid of her, but he could sense her unease about the many other strangers in the room. As though reading his thoughts, the miko whispered to him, "I'd like to take her outside alone for a bit. We won't go far, but I think she's a little nervous not knowing anyone here, let alone being unable to understand what's being said." Sesshoumaru nodded. He would allow it, but he would keep a keen ear open of any sign of trouble, and when Kagome returned to Vanessa, presumably to pose the suggestion to her as well, he returned her gaze with a look of his own that said she only had to call him. She was, after all, under his protection until he deemed it time to leave her. _Surely Rin has made me soft. Not two years ago this Sesshoumaru would never have taken such concern over the well being of a mere human woman._

The two women left the hut and, true to her word, they remained within hearing distance of the taiyoukai. Sesshoumaru listened absently to their conversation and saw that Inuyasha did the same, swiveling his ears in their direction, though he was certain the hanyou could no more understand the exchange than he. Occasionally he heard his own name as well as Inuyasha's and the rest of his group and wondered idly what the miko was telling Vanessa. What could she know about him to drop his name so many times, and would she tell Vanessa anything that would make the woman fear him? Somehow the thought struck a nerve in his very core. Didn't he want everyone to fear him, to know and respect his power? _But what about Rin?_ Certainly he wanted her to respect him and to obey when he gave her a command, but to fear him? Secretly he didn't think it _possible_ for the girl to fear him, short of physically attacking her himself. But then, what would have been the point of resurrecting her in the first place? The child's spirit was refreshing; she _wanted_ to be with him and she actually seemed to look up to him. She didn't obey out of fear, but out of the desire to please him, to see the secret smile behind his eyes that only she knew of.

What made Vanessa different from any other human woman? In a way she reminded Sesshoumaru of Rin. Most women that he had encountered had feared him outright, partly because they knew him to be taiyoukai of the west, but also because so many of them seemed to simply fear strange men. But, Vanessa was different. She was cautious and initially fearful of new situations, but more than anything she was curious. She really did not know who he was or what he could do, what he has done. The woman was new and different, but soon enough, she would be just like any other woman and he would be able to leave her. She would find out what he thought of humans and would fear him. Sesshoumaru's world would finally right itself again. _Has she really been here only slightly more than a day?_

Sesshoumaru knew that his features were schooled into a mask of stone so that none in the room would know that his thoughts were secretly raging. He let them. He let part of his consciousness devote itself to watching out for the pair of women outside and a smaller part focused on the happenings within the hut, but mostly he let his wild thoughts have free reign of his mind. He knew that if he didn't follow certain particularly persistent thoughts to the very end of the line they would only haunt him later, either in his dreams or at a moment when distraction would be less than desirable.

The two younger humans in the room, the monk and the taijiya, tried to make conversation, but were met only with Sesshoumaru's stony silence. He had no interest in them, only in ensuring the safety of his charges. Sesshoumaru turned his gaze on Rin and the kitsune playing in the corner. The kit was young, but could still do damage to the human girl; however, it seemed that he had spent enough time among humans to know his limits.

Soon enough, the women returned and took their positions beside the fire. Kagome got their attention and formally introduced them all before beginning to tell them her plans to try and get Vanessa home. "Kaede, Miroku, I'd like your input on this. It seems that Vanessa came here much the same way as I did." She glanced nervously at Sesshoumaru, whose eyes narrowed slightly. _The miko is leaving something out._ He let her continue. "The only difference is that she came from half-way across the planet. I want to try and bring her back the way I came, but I don't know if it will work."

The monk spoke up then, "Couldn't she go back the way she came?"

The miko shook her head and replied, "No, she said that the way was closed."

"Interesting. Well, I don't see any harm in trying. The worst that could happen would be that she could be blocked your way too."

"That's what I thought."

Sesshoumaru decided that he had been left out of the loop quite long enough and spoke, surprising them all, "Miko. You seem to know a great deal about Vanessa's land. How have you come by this knowledge?"

"Oh! Um… I learned about it in school."

"School?"

She winced, then looked at him resignedly before speaking again, "Where I come from, children from the age of five through eighteen must go to a place called a school where they learn all the skills that they will need later in life. One thing I learned was a foreign language."

"Where do you come from?"

Sesshoumaru saw Kagome take a deep breath and felt everyone around him tense. _This must be what she was hiding earlier._ His interest piqued, he raised one elegant eyebrow and waited for her to continue. "Um… this might sound a little crazy. I'm not sure I would have believed it if I hadn't experienced it myself, but –"

"Kagome! What are you doing? You can't just tell him!"

"Inuyasha, stay out of this. He's involved now. He needs to know."

Sesshoumaru looked from Kagome to his half-brother and back, "What is it that I need to know?"

"I'm not from this era. Neither is Vanessa." Sesshoumaru's gaze flicked to Vanessa and back to Kagome before he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Explain."

The miko was clearly nervous under his intense gaze; he was in control, and she knew it. Sesshoumaru had only to wait until the tension grew to be too much for her. He didn't have to wait long.

"I live with my family at a shrine and one morning before I left for school I went into our well house to find our cat and I was pulled in by a centipede demon. She wanted the Shikon no Tama, which was reformed inside my body. When I climbed out of the well again, I found myself here, where I released Inuyasha from his seal to the Goshinboku tree. I come from nearly five hundred years in the future."

Golden depths never left chocolate brown for a moment as Sesshoumaru stared at the miko, processing what he had just learned, trying to determine whether or not she spoke the truth. Her scent didn't spike with the fear of a liar, so she was either mad or she told the truth. _It would explain a great many things. She is a miko of great power, even if she is untrained, and would have been the only one around powerful enough to eliminate the miko Kikyou's spell._ Sesshoumaru considered her clothing and Vanessa's and decided that the passage of time _might_ explain the differences in dress. Then something else she said crept back to the forefront of his thoughts. "How far did you say she has come?"

Relieved that Sesshoumaru seemed to believe her, Kagome brightened slightly and asked, "What is the farthest distance that you've traveled?"

"This Sesshoumaru has traveled the entire length of the main island and occasionally into the mainland to the west." The miko thought for a moment before answering.

"Travel the length of Japan eight or nine times and that is how far Vanessa's home is, not to mention that much of her society probably hasn't formed yet." Sesshoumaru's eyes widened slightly in surprise and he glanced at the woman watching the antics of the two children. _Does she know how far she is from home? Of course she does._ He chided himself for forgetting her conversation with the miko. _She is taking this remarkably well… for a human._ Sesshoumaru turned back to the miko, "How do you propose to send her home?"

"I thought that if she came through a sort of portal like I did through the well, then maybe the well would accept her as it does me. She said that the portal that she came through closed itself once she was on this side. I would go with her of course, to be sure she made it safely at least to a place where she could contact her family."

Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow at her again, "If the distance is as great as you say, how will she be able to contact her family?"

"Oh! In our time, we have devices called telephones that allow a person to talk to another anywhere in the world. Once she contacted her family she would have to go to her government's representative in Japan to get proper paperwork, but once that was completed, she could be home within a day."

"So soon? How is it that she would be able to travel such a distance in a day?" Sesshoumaru surprised even himself with his inquisitiveness, but decided that his questions fell under the category of ensuring her safety and waited for the miko to answer.

"Technology has improved _immeasurably_ in our time. Besides hot running water in each home," she gave a small sigh of longing, "we have machines that carry us wherever we want to go. One such machine can fly great distances at speeds that would make the fastest youkai jealous."

"I see." Sesshoumaru focused his gaze on a spot on the opposite wall, trying to wrap his head around everything he had learned. _Flying machines?_

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" He looked at the miko again. "I was thinking that Vanessa should probably stay the night. If we make it through the well, she'll have a busy day ahead of her, and it's already getting dark, and well… since she's known you longer than the rest of us…"

"What is it that you want, miko?"

"I was wondering if you and Rin would stay too. I still don't think she's very comfortable with the rest of us, but she thinks very highly of you. We can find you a room. You wouldn't have to camp out."

He considered it and didn't like the thought of sharing a roof with his hanyou half-brother, but also didn't like the thought of Vanessa sharing a roof with that monk. _He is entirely too forward for his own good._ "We will stay."

"Oh good! I'll talk to Vanessa and then see about getting a meal prepared."

The rest of the evening passed rather smoothly. Vanessa agreed to stay the night and helped to prepare a meal, though it was clear that it wasn't something she normally did – at least not under the current conditions. Sesshoumaru kept to himself and wondered what the future would hold for him. As a youkai, he would easily live long enough to see the world that the miko and Vanessa lived in, barely aging a day in the process. Sesshoumaru did not often give in to his imagination. What purpose would it serve anyway? But now he was so lost in his own thoughts that he almost didn't notice the presence beside him. Sesshoumaru turned his focus to a smiling Vanessa beside him. She motioned the miko to her and spoke a few words then the miko addressed him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, Vanessa wants to thank you." Sesshoumaru locked eyes with the woman, gold meeting violet, and he nodded. She spoke again and her words were repeated through the miko's mouth, "She wishes there were some way for her to repay you for your kindness and for being a burden on you." His eyes widened slightly in surprise. _Kindness? She thought I was being… kind? This Sesshoumaru does not display… kindness._ Sesshoumaru's face remained expressionless, but he replied through Kagome, "It was nothing. You were no burden for this Sesshoumaru." As he heard his words repeated in the strange language, Sesshoumaru wondered what had prompted him to say it. Something in her eyes… _This is ridiculous._ He blinked and turned away to watch Rin. She and the kitsune were curled up in a corner, having played themselves out and were drifting off to sleep.

Sesshoumaru heard laughter beside him and turned as Vanessa and the miko rose and walked to the door. They waited for the taijiya who was gathering some towels and a few bottles from a particularly large yellow pack and the miko turned back to Sesshoumaru, "We're just going for a bath. Women in my time like to bathe daily and Vanessa isn't used to traveling so much. We won't be gone long." When the women trailed out of the hut, Sesshoumaru leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He appeared deceptively at ease, though in reality he was alert and very aware of his surroundings, allowing his ears and nose to take over where his eyes could not aid him in keeping track of the women. When had he become so protective? _She is part of my pack, however temporary her presence may be._ It made sense. Sesshoumaru was an _inu_youkai after all, and he thought nothing more of it. _My pack…_

The sensation of being watched kept Sesshoumaru from relaxing entirely in the relative peace of the small hut. He had an idea of who it was and, without opening his eyes, decided to test his theory, "If you wish to bore holes into this Sesshoumaru, a blade would serve you better than your eyes. What is it that you want, Little Brother?"

"Why do you care?" _Aha! I was correct._ He half-opened one eye to peer at the hanyou before closing it again, "This Sesshoumaru cares about nothing."

"The why bring the girl here? And why keep Rin with you?" _Why indeed?_

"What I do is of no concern to you." Sesshoumaru could feel his half-brother's anger flare.

"It is when it concerns my friends! I won't let you put my friends in danger!"

"If you know what is best for you and your _friends_, you will not pick a fight with this Sesshoumaru. What I choose to do or not do is of no one's concern but my own," he growled in warning – a warning the hanyou did not seem keen on heeding as he sprang to his feet, drawing Tetsusaiga.

"Is that a threat!" Sesshoumaru remained in his position against the wall, unconcerned by the raging hanyou.

"Perhaps, though I believe your miko would be most displeased with you for attacking your guest." Sesshoumaru smirked behind his stoic mask as Inuyasha sputtered and stalked out into the night muttering to himself. Really it was too easy to ignite his half-brother's temper.

"Impressive." Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and turned his head to his left. He had forgotten that the monk was still in the room. Closing his eyes and resettling against the wall, he waited for the man to continue. "You've just managed to start and end a fight with Inuyasha without so much as lifting a finger. Quite entertaining, actually."

"Indeed."

"If I may ask, my lord, why _did_ you come here with the woman?"

Sesshoumaru was silent for a long time while he considered his answer, but still the monk waited, seeming to understand that the taiyoukai did not simply throw words around. "Their scents are similar."

"I'm sorry? Their scents?"

"Yes. It was clear to me when I first encountered Vanessa that she seemed out of place, much like your miko. Then I noticed a certain quality to her scent that I had not detected since the first time I met your miko – the day my arm was taken from me." He bit out the words as though they contained all of the poison in his claws, and the monk was silent then, seemingly uncertain how to respond to the last. Surely he knew the tale. But then Sesshoumaru spoke again, releasing the tension, "Now it makes some sense. If they are of the same era, then perhaps something has changed in the environment to make them smell similar. It is not as strong on your miko as it was before, but it is still there. She returns home often?" Sesshoumaru was gazing at the monk now.

"Not as much as she would like. Sometimes she stays for a few days to a week, though occasionally she will stay as long as a month. The school she mentioned is very important to her and is usually the reason for her homeward return as well as many fights with Inuyasha." The monk chuckled then, "Inuyasha and Kagome have an… interesting… relationship."

"How so?" _Am I actually holding a conversation? This Sesshoumaru has been among humans for far too long._

"Well, they both seem to care about each other a great deal, and yet they are a match for one another in terms of their stubbornness. Neither will admit how they feel and they fight constantly to hide their true feelings."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru did not know how to respond. Such emotions were entirely foreign to him. It had been so long since he last allowed himself to feel.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama." Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow at him.

"For what?" The monk smiled.

"For speaking with me. I enjoyed having a … rational male to speak with, if only for an evening," he leaned forward and whispered then, "but don't tell Inuyasha I said that."

"Indeed."

They fell into an almost-companionable silence then, until the women returned. Someone from the village must have given Vanessa some clothing to borrow. She walked in clad in a gray yukata with small violet flowers on the sleeves, carrying her previous garment over one arm, still-damp curls falling down her back. She looked much more comfortable in the light robe, not to mention her eyes seemed to sparkle against the gray of the fabric. As the others unrolled their mats and blankets, Vanessa took a seat beside Sesshoumaru and they sat together in silence. Kagome was padding about the hut, making sure that everyone was settled for the night when Sesshoumaru felt a sudden weight on his shoulder and he froze.

Kagome took that moment to glance in his direction and giggled – until Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her in warning. It would seem that Vanessa couldn't wait for a bedroll before falling asleep. The miko gave him a blanket and left him to deal with the sleeping woman. _What now?_ He tried shifting, hoping she would awaken on her own, but the woman was fast asleep. _Umm…_ He snorted to himself. _Oh _that_ was intelligent._ Sesshoumaru couldn't let her sleep leaning at that angle, she would wake with a stiff neck, and so he tried to think of how best to move her without waking her. Somehow he managed to ease her to the floor and covered her in the blanket as he gazed down on the sleeping form. Satisfied that she was as comfortable as the wooden floor would allow, Sesshoumaru leaned back against the wall and let sleep take him. He never noticed that his hand still rested on the woman's shoulder.

As dawn's first light peeked through the window, Sesshoumaru slowly opened his eyes. A scan of the room told him that the others were stirring, hovering in that state between sleep and consciousness. Then he felt unaccustomed warmth against his right leg, spilling over onto his thigh. If he had allowed himself, he would have jumped in surprise. _Bold, human._ At some point in the night, Vanessa had decided that Sesshoumaru's lap seemed to be a fine pillow, and his own traitorous hand was resting comfortably, protectively on her shoulder. Before he could stop himself, the same hand reached over and lightly brushed a few wayward curls off of her face. Surprised at his actions, Sesshoumaru quickly glanced about the room. It wouldn't do to have them as witness to this rare and absurd moment of tenderness – to a human, no less. Certain that the rest of the room was still lost in dreamland, Sesshoumaru gently squeezed Vanessa's shoulder, watching in amusement as she realized where she was and on whose lap she was laying.

Vanessa bolted up to a sitting position, looking wide-eyed and embarrassed at Sesshoumaru, pink creeping to her cheeks, but before she could make a sound, the taiyoukai raised a clawed finger to his lips, hushing the panicked woman. "Ohayou." He said softly in greeting, nodding his head slightly. She looked puzzled for a moment, and then as though some long-lost memory had just resurfaced, she smiled and responded with an "Ohayou" of her own. She rose to her feet and gave a mighty stretch, almost stumbling before she caught herself, and, wrapping the blanket about her shoulders, walked softly toward the door. Once at the door flap, Vanessa turned back to Sesshoumaru and gestured with her head toward the outside. _Did she not have enough of my company through the night? Well, she is leaving soon, after all. Humans are such sentimental creatures._ Against all precedent, Sesshoumaru rose smoothly to his feet and followed the woman into the dim early morning sunlight.

She was standing in the middle of the yard, gray blanket wrapped around her shoulders, golden curls tumbling over her shoulders, gazing toward the rising sun. Sesshoumaru approached and stood silently by her side, keeping a wary ear open for intruders. They stood in silence for a moment, and then Vanessa turned to him with a smile. "Good morning," she said. Sesshoumaru didn't know what to make of the words and allowed the slightest bit of puzzlement to show in his golden eyes, but Vanessa was waiting. Waiting for what? A response? He tried out the new words, feeling rather foolish all the while, "Good… Morning?" Apparently that was what Vanessa was waiting for. She grinned and nodded happily.

"Good morning… Ohayou," she said, and continued to smile up at him. _So that must be the morning greeting where she is from. Strange. To think that I, Sesshoumaru, am _learning_ from a human._ He reflected on what he had learned from the miko the previous night. If she, in her time, was learning this strange woman's language, despite the great distance, this far away land must hold great power indeed. _This conversation – if it may be called that – just might bear remembering._ "Good morning," he repeated, much to the delight of the human woman standing beside him.

They stood together in silence for a short while longer, enjoying the peace of the small village, before the sounds of people waking could be heard from within the old miko's hut. Sesshoumaru tensed, certain that he did not want to be caught alone with the human, but before he could make a move to return to the hut, he heard a rustle of fabric and turned to see Vanessa making her way to the outhouse to take care of business. Sesshoumaru stared after her wondering whether to be impressed or insulted. _No one just _walks_ away from this Sesshoumaru._ On the other hand, perhaps she was more perceptive than he had given her credit for. _Or she merely didn't want to be caught alone with _you. Whatever her reasons, Sesshoumaru cleared the matter from his mind as beneath his concern and returned to the hut.

Once past the door flap Sesshoumaru was met with the typical morning chaos as the women tried to prepare a meal with the men getting underfoot. Ignoring the madness, he crossed the room and retook his position against the wall. Vanessa would be leaving in just a few hours, and Sesshoumaru was more than ready for life to go back to normal – no more "playing nice" with his half-brother, no more concern over strange humans, no more confusion over long-dead emotion, no more thoughts of the future. That last was fruitless really, since throughout the life of a youkai the future came upon it soon enough and it was generally best not to dwell on what has passed, much less what is yet to come.

Vanessa finally returned and offered to help the other women, and through the young miko's instruction was able to try her hand at making a meal again. Once the meal was finished and cleared away, Inuyasha, the taijiya and the monk left to spar and Rin and the kitsune ran out to play in the grass. Kaede had matters to attend to in the village and Kagome was gathering a few scattered items, returning them to her pack before joining the others outside. That left Vanessa. She had decided to return in her own clothing and retreated to the side room to change. Sesshoumaru remained where he was in the otherwise empty main room of the hut. Being so near his half-brother and so many humans was starting to wear on his nerves. He closed his eyes for a moment of calming meditation.

After a few minutes, Vanessa reappeared and cleared her throat to get his attention. She motioned to the door and walked out. It was time for her to return home. Once again outside in the morning light, Vanessa met up with Kagome and they spoke for a moment with their heads together. When they broke apart, the miko went to round up the rest of her group and Vanessa approached Sesshoumaru with a funny little smile. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow as he watched her make her way over to him. She stopped a few feet away and gazed up at him for a moment before doing something he did not expect. She stepped one foot forward slightly and bent her knees, holding her skirt out at the side. While her body dipped down, she tilted her head and gave him a half-bow. It was a strange, but it seemed to have all of the respectful qualities of a proper bow. _This must be how they do it where she comes from._ Then she spoke, a little hesitantly at first. "A-Arigatou gozaimasu, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened slightly in surprise – she learned a bit of his own language just to thank him, and… _So now she knows my station… Why does the title feel so wrong coming from her lips._ His brow furrowed at the implications of that last thought, and he found himself shaking his head. _What is coming over me?_ When she straightened again and looked up at him, he could smell her nervousness. She wanted to know if she had done the right thing. Sesshoumaru caught her gaze and held it, smoldering gold meeting sparkling violet and finally he broke the silence. Shaking his head once more, he said only, "Sesshoumaru." The woman seemed to understand what he meant, that for some reason, somehow, they had stepped beyond the boundary of formality that required that she use the honorific with him. She broke in to a wide grin and beamed up at him before turning toward the well, glancing over her shoulder to be sure that he was following.

Sesshoumaru followed at a distance. He wasn't comfortable with the conflict that the woman from the future stirred within him. _Soon enough, she will be gone._ He wouldn't have to think of her ever again. The confusion would leave him the moment she did, or so he hoped. The taiyoukai of the west was nothing if not stable, in control, and rational, and in two days the creature before him had begun to unravel the layers he had built up within himself. _No one_ had _ever_ been able to touch those walls. They had only said a handful of words to one another and yet, how could she have had such an effect on him? _Hn. There was no _effect_. She simply does not belong here and this Sesshoumaru could sense it. I was merely… unsettled._ But Sesshoumaru didn't get unsettled.

Before he realized it, Sesshoumaru had caught up with the others and reached the well. Inuyasha was complaining loudly that Kagome couldn't go back to her time; they needed her here to find the jewel shards. He didn't seem to notice that her face was darkening into the expression Sesshoumaru had seen the previous day just before Inuyasha crashed into the ground. Sesshoumaru could feel the corners of his mouth twitching as a smirk threatened to spread across his face. The hanyou seemed to have no idea what he was bringing down on himself. As Inuyasha's arguments grew more heated, there was a resounding, "SIT BOY!" and a crash. Silence fell around the well until Inuyasha caught his breath and grumbled a series of very elaborate curses before stalking to Goshinboku and leaping into its branches.

Kagome turned to the rest of them with an over-bright smile and began to go over the plan, "If this works, Vanessa will come back to my time and I'm sure my mother would be happy to let her stay at our house until she can get the paperwork to go home. So. Shall we then?" Vanessa took a moment to embrace the taijiya and Rin each before turning to Sesshoumaru. She smiled at him shyly for a moment before placing her hands on his shoulders and reaching up on her toes to give him a light kiss on the cheek. Sesshoumaru just stood there, frozen in place. He could only stare back at the woman – while everyone else stared at him, mouths hanging open and on edge waiting to see how he would react. She was human after all. _She _dared_ presume to be so intimate with this Sesshoumaru?_ Finally, he blinked and nodded to the pair standing by the well that they should go on their way. The remainder of the group breathed a collective sigh of relief that he had not struck her down where she stood. _They really think this Sesshoumaru is bloodthirsty._ He shrugged mentally. _Just as well. _It wouldn't do for them to grow complacent with him.

Still, he couldn't shake the tingling feeling where Vanessa's lips had so briefly touched his cheek – a final reminder that he had failed to instill in her the fear of the powerful taiyoukai that he was, a final reminder that the strange woman was real. _No matter, she will be leaving soon._

Sesshoumaru watched as the miko explained to Vanessa what she had to do, but the woman appeared to be less than enthusiastic about jumping into an empty well. _This had better work._ Finally, Vanessa clasped hands with the other woman of the future, gave a final nervous look over her shoulder at Sesshoumaru – whose face remained stoic as ever – and jumped into the well.

A/N: Alright! Chapter 4 is done! …and it's a little longer than I had planned, but I'm pretty pleased with it. …and I think I might have been reading a few too many angsty stories… Sesshoumaru is starting to fall out of character a little bit (a lot) and he's not as arrogant as I first wanted to portray him. Oh well... it's my story! Amazing how much more interesting a story can be when people actually talk to one another (at least… that's my hope!).


	5. Decisions

A/N: I got stuck on this one. I couldn't figure out how to write Sesshoumaru's part. Annoying. Anyway, New Chapter! Enjoy!

Into the East

Chapter five: Decisions

Posted: 13 July 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else is mine

After everything she had seen in the past two days, somehow Vanessa had expected the well to take her home. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case. Not being fond of heights in the first place, she had hesitantly jumped with Kagome into the dark depths of the well. A bright blue-violet light surrounded them and then, suddenly, Kagome was gone. Vanessa cried out at the lost contact and fell the remaining few yards to the unforgiving bottom of the well. She landed awkwardly in her heeled shoes and tumbled, turning her ankle in the process and landing hard on her hip. At first she felt only the bruise on her hip, but when she tried to stand and find a way out, pain lanced through her leg, causing her to give a hiss of pain and a soft "Ow!" before crumbling to a sitting position. _Now how am I going to get out of here?_

As if in answer to her unspoken question, a flurry of white silk and silver hair descended from above, landing lightly beside her at the bottom of the well. Vanessa had barely enough time to wonder why she couldn't have landed like that when a strong arm wrapped around her middle and she was flying up, up out of the well, back into the bright morning sunlight. Sesshoumaru eased her to the ground as best he could with the use of only one arm and knelt over her already-swelling ankle. When he removed her shoes and began gently probing the joint, searching for breaks, Vanessa winced and reached over to remove his hand shaking her head. She was a doctor after all – well, almost - and didn't entirely trust the methods of the era. Sesshoumaru glance at her, his face impassive, yet Vanessa thought she saw a trace of concern flash across his eyes before it was gone. She smiled at him and gingerly felt her ankle, moving it slightly. Wincing and sucking in her breath, she determined that nothing was broken; it hurt like anything, but was only a sprain.

Vanessa looked up into the concerned faces surrounding her and smiled. She made a motion as though breaking a twig and shook her head. It seemed that they understood as they released a collective sigh of relief, all except Sesshoumaru who continued to stare at her. Then she remembered. _I _kissed_ him. What was I thinking!_ …_I was thinking I'd be home by now. _She smiled at him, tentatively, and finally he stood and moved a few paces away. Vanessa raised her hands for some help in standing, and Miroku and Sango immediately rushed over to her, now that the intimidating demon lord had moved away, and helped her hobble back to Kaede's hut.

Just as they reached the doorway, Kagome rushed up, "Oh, Vanessa! I'm so sorry it didn't work, are you ok?" She gasped when she saw that Miroku and Sango were holding her up, "What happened!"

"I landed a bit awkwardly and turned my ankle. It's just a sprain. A little ice and some rest and I'll be good as new! Could you tell them? I think they understood, but I just want to be sure." Kagome repeated her words and the others nodded.

"I'll run home and get you some ice. It'll feel better than sticking your foot in the stream."

"Thanks." Kagome took her leave again and ran back to the well while Vanessa began wrapping her ankle in some strips of cloth supplied by Kaede. _They sure do have a lot of bandages…_ A shadow fell across her and she looked up to see Sesshoumaru standing in the doorway. He had her shoes. Vanessa smiled up at him and scooted back to the wall, propping her foot up on a rolled blanket. She gestured for him to come in and join her and he looked at her curiously before crossing the room and kneeling to inspect her bandages. "Arigatou," she said, thankful that one of the few words she had learned was 'thank you.' Sesshoumaru peered at her in surprise and nodded. _What is he thinking?_

Vanessa was a social person by nature, and never before this experience had she realized how frustrating it could be to be blocked by a language barrier. She sighed and looked over at Sesshoumaru sitting opposite her near the fire. Despite knowing full well that he wouldn't understand what she said, Vanessa began to talk, "This is kind of frustrating, you know? I want to ask so many questions, to learn more about you and Rin, and why you helped me in the first place, but I don't think anyone here is the best person to ask. They don't seem to like you much – or trust you further than they can throw you, which I'm guessing is not that far." She laughed a little at that, "Kagome's been great, translating and everything, but it's not the same," she paused and glanced at Sesshoumaru, but he only continued to gaze at her. To stop herself from getting lost in his golden depths – that was _not_ what she needed at the moment – she hugged her uninjured leg to her chest, resting her forehead on her knee and absently twirling her engagement ring around her finger. "No one knows where I am, but then I guess it's not so much a matter of where I am as it is _when_." Footsteps at the door distracted her then. It was Kagome; she had returned with ice from the future and the numbing cold felt good on her swollen ankle.

"Thank you, Kagome. I should be good as new in a day or two. I'm sorry to be such a burden on you all. I'm sure you'll be wanting to start searching for your jewel shards again." But Kagome just smiled at her brightly.

"Don't worry about it. Inuyasha's the only one that ever gets really anxious to hit the trail again."

"Um… what do I do now? I mean… will I ever be able to go home?"

"To be honest, I don't know. I'll speak with Miroku and Kaede and see if they have any ideas though. But don't worry, we'll figure something out. Until then, rest up."

"Thanks again Kagome."

Vanessa watched Kagome leave the hut and noticed also that at some point Sesshoumaru had silently left as well. _Well why not? I probably wouldn't want to listen to someone chatter away in some gibberish I didn't understand either. I guess I should get some sleep then and let my body do some healing._ She sighed, shifted into a more comfortable position and closed her eyes.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru was baffled. When the miko returned for the second time from the well, this time with ice, he took his leave of the hut. _How is it that they are able to keep ice when it is not winter?_ The thought passed and then his attention returned to Vanessa; she had become a bigger puzzle than he had previously thought.

He had pulled her out of the well when it became clear that no one else was making a move to help. Noting that she was sitting, though holding her ankle, he had no concern over moving her, but when he tried to check her for fractures, she all but pushed his hand away. _Did she think this Sesshoumaru incapable of assessing an injury?_ Then it wasn't until after he moved away that she asked for help standing. He huffed to himself mentally. _Ungrateful human._

Once more inside the old miko's hut, Sesshoumaru saw that she had wrapped her own bandages. This time she didn't stop him from inspecting them. The wrapping looked good – at least as good as any proper healer could have done. _Perhaps she is some sort of healer in her time._ Vanessa had settled herself against the wall, propping up her foot. She looked so small, so weak. _She is human. Humans are weak._ Yet she smiled. Vanessa always had a smile for Sesshoumaru – and she thanked him again in his own language. What surprised him more was that she just started talking to him. Obviously there was no way for him to respond in a way that she would understand so he remained silent. That didn't seem to matter however; it would seem that she merely needed someone or something to talk to. He could smell her frustration, presumably at being unable to be understood, then confusion and sadness. Sesshoumaru found himself wanting to comfort the woman, to replace those scents with the lovely scents of her happiness and curiosity. He also thought it absurd that he should want to do such things for a human woman. _Pack instinct. That is all. She is still a _temporary_ member of my pack. _Still, the feelings brought on unwanted confusion and he found he didn't like it one bit. Thankfully, at that moment the miko returned with her ice and Sesshoumaru was able to slip silently out the door. _Surely the presences of all these humans are muddling this Sesshoumaru's senses._ Sesshoumaru decided to check on Rin and then take a walk alone to clear his head.

The child was playing once again with the kitsune under Goshinboku. _Does that child ever run out of energy?_ It appeared that the human girl was even giving the fox child a run for his money. Soon enough they would crash and end up curled around one another regaining their spent energy in their sleep. _Rin should have someone her own age to play with. Jaken would certainly appreciate the reprieve._ Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru had no human retainers on his estate and while the youkai tolerated Rin's presence, most were less than enthusiastic about having their pups play with the girl. She had befriended some of his staff, but none of them had children living on the estate and they themselves did not have the time to indulge the girl. Yet Sesshoumaru never ceased to be amazed at how happy the girl always seemed, and how generally well behaved she was. She pulled the occasional prank, as is natural for children, but never in all the time she had spent with Sesshoumaru had she been in any major trouble. Jaken grudgingly looked after the girl when Sesshoumaru was otherwise engaged and cared for her in his own way, though the toad would certainly never admit it. The child simply had a way of growing on a person – or youkai. Now Sesshoumaru realized that the same was also true of Vanessa.

The two human females that had somehow insinuated themselves into his life were so completely different from any other human Sesshoumaru had yet encountered. He didn't like it. Humans were by nature beneath a youkai such as himself. If he were to start thinking that the humans he was sometimes forced to eliminate could be anything like Rin or Vanessa or even the monk and the rest of Inuyasha's companions, it would make the job more difficult. Other youkai would begin to see him as weak – if they didn't already, and Sesshoumaru could not have that. His hold on his lands depended on not only his personal power, but also his reputation and the fear that others held for him. Surely word of his dalliance with these humans would reach his enemies and they would begin to make trouble for him. However, he had it in his favor that he had not let anyone know that he would go to Inuyasha's village. _Really, humans are more trouble than they are worth._ Or were they?

Sesshoumaru wandered for a time through Inuyasha's Forest wondering what to do about the human, Vanessa. For all intents and purposes the woman was marooned in this time and place. There was really no one to care for her, and he knew that everything must seem strange and foreign to her. He didn't want to trust her care in the hands of his hanyou half-brother, but could he bring her back to his palace? Would she even want to return with him? On the other hand, he could simply take Rin and leave and think nothing more of the matter. However, Rin was very perceptive for a human child. She had quite taken with Vanessa and would question him incessantly as to her whereabouts and wellbeing, and hadn't he already admitted to himself that the woman was part of his pack, however temporary. But there was still the problem that she was human. Rin was tolerated by the other youkai on Sesshoumaru's estate simply because she was a child – and anyone who dared do her harm would pay dearly at the hands of her guardian. Vanessa was a grown woman. Rumors would spread that Sesshoumaru had taken after his father in more ways than his prestige and innate power, and THAT he would NOT tolerate. The very thought that he, Lord Sesshoumaru, taiyoukai of the Western Lands, would take a human as a mate made his blood boil. He may grow to tolerate the presence of humans, but taking one as a mate was _entirely_ different.

The path Sesshoumaru had been following eventually led him back to the old miko's hut, and just as he had predicted, Rin and the kitsune were curled up under the tree, fast asleep. They were close enough to the others and he didn't sense any other youkai nearby so he left them and strode toward the hut to check on Vanessa. _This Sesshoumaru has been reduced to playing nursemaid rather than ruling the West._ Though, admittedly, it was a pleasant change of pace compared to the tedium of his daily tasks. Said tasks were part of the reason Sesshoumaru had taken Rin out for their little break, aside from taking some time to inspect his lands.

Before Sesshoumaru stepped through the door flap, Kagome intercepted him. "Sesshoumaru-sama, Vanessa is sleeping. Um… may I have a word with you?" The taiyoukai regarded her with an impassive eye. She seemed to be the spokesperson of her little group. _Well, she is certainly easier to speak with than the half-breed._ He nodded and stepped aside, allowing her to lead him a short distance from the hut. "I was wondering if you had thought about what would happen to Vanessa now. Kaede and Miroku are trying to figure out a way to send her home, but until then… I don't know. She could stay here if she wants to, but I couldn't help but notice how taken Rin is with her – when she's not playing with Shippou, that is." She smiled warmly up at Sesshoumaru.

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru stood with the young miko in contemplative silence before finally coming to a decision, "She may return with this Sesshoumaru and Rin if she so desires. If that is her wish, we shall leave when she has healed enough to walk. You will discuss the matter with her."

"Oh! Sure, okay. I'll talk to her when she wakes up again."

"Very well. Inform me of her decision." With that, Sesshoumaru turned and strode toward the sleeping children, dropping gracefully to sit at the base of the tree.

VvVvVvVvV

A dull throbbing pain brought Vanessa back to wakefulness. _That's right… I can't go home _and_ I'm injured. Great_. She sat up and checked the wrapping on her ankle. The bandages were still tight enough, but the ice pack that Kagome brought was nothing more than water, so she unwrapped it from her foot and set it aside. Just then Kagome walked through the door, "Oh! You're awake! Good, I've got something to ask you."

"Sure, what's on your mind?" Kagome plopped down to sit beside Vanessa.

"Well, Kaede and Miroku are still working on how to get you home, but until then, we need to figure out what to do with you."

"Oh… Right."

"There are a few options for you. You could come with the rest of us and search for jewel shards or you could stay here with Kaede…" She glanced over at Vanessa.

"I wouldn't want to be a burden on your group… I wouldn't know the first thing about fighting or finding these shards… and I don't know how much help I would be around here. I mean, I do know medicine, but not Japanese. What do you think I should do?"

"Well… there's one more possibility. If you're interested."  
"What is it?" Vanessa asked, curious.

"Lord Sesshoumaru said that you would be welcome in his home if you wanted to return with him and Rin." Vanessa's eyes grew wide in surprise. _He's invited me to his home? But why? I thought he didn't like humans._ She voiced her concerns, "Why? I mean, it's not that I wouldn't be grateful, but… I didn't expect him to offer."

Kagome smiled back at her, "I don't think anyone really knows what goes on inside the demon lord's head, but I have a feeling he thinks you'll be good for Rin. I agree. I think you'll be good for Rin too."

"Oh…" For some reason Vanessa felt a touch of disappointment that she was only invited for the girl. _I'm being silly, I'm sure he hardly has any time for Rin, and since we're both human… I guess it makes sense._

"And him." Vanessa snapped her head up, looking at Kagome, uncertain that she had heard right.

"What?"

"It's a good thing he can't understand us because I think he'd kill me in a second for this. I think you'd be good for him." Vanessa just stared at her, a blush creeping to her cheeks.

"I see…"

"I mean it. He's not as cold since he found Rin, and look at you. For some reason he decided to help you when he could have just walked on by."

"I would like to see where he lives, to find out more about him, but how will it work if we can't talk?"

"Actually, I think Kaede might have a solution for that. I didn't want to say anything until I knew how you felt about going with him. Just think about it some more. Hey, why don't I help you outside. Kaede should be coming back soon and the fresh air will do you good."

"Alright." _What can Kaede do to let us talk to one another?_

Vanessa was thoroughly confused, but also very curious. She let Kagome help her up and she hobbled out the door. Then Sesshoumaru appeared at her elbow opposite Kagome, helping her to take more weight off of her injured ankle. Vanessa should have been surprised at his sudden appearance, but she was starting to feel that her capability of being surprised had left her. Instead, Vanessa smiled her thanks up at him. The three of them sat in the shade and watched the children as they stirred out of their slumber.

Rin was the first to awake and noticed Vanessa sitting beside her. She jumped up and threw her arms around the older woman's neck, all but squealing, "Nessa-neesan! Daijoubu?" Vanessa turned to Kagome. She had an idea what the girl meant, but wanted to be sure.

"She asked if you're ok."

Vanessa hugged the little girl tight, "I'm fine." Rin giggled and ran to shake Shippou, waking him to play some more. Vanessa watched them chase each other through the short grass and Kagome nudged her. "Hmm?"

"She called you 'big sister'."

"Really?" she smiled, thoughtful. "I guess it's settled then."

"What is?"

"Well, she can't leave here in the hands of the big bad demon without her big sister." Kagome gaped at her for a moment and then burst out laughing, _very_ thankful that Sesshoumaru hadn't a clue what the other had said. When Vanessa giggled, the taiyoukai looked down on the laughing pair and raised an elegant eyebrow.

When Kagome caught her breath, she turned to Vanessa, "I'll tell Sesshoumaru-sama that you've agreed to leave with him. He'd like to leave as soon as you can walk again."

"Thank you, Kagome, for everything."

Vanessa watched as Kagome relayed the information to Sesshoumaru. She wanted to see his reaction, but, as usual, there really wasn't much to see. He just glanced at her and nodded, his face devoid of any emotion, except for something that she couldn't distinguish that passed very briefly in his eyes. She didn't have long to consider it though, since Kaede was returning from the village. Miroku had gone with her to help where he could and also to continue their discussion about Vanessa's return home.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru waited for the two women beside him to stop laughing. He had a strange feeling that it was at his expense. He would let it slide. This time. When the miko stopped gasping and was able to speak coherently, she turned to him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama? Vanessa says that she would like to take you up on your offer. She thinks she'll be well enough in a day or so." He glanced at Vanessa, nodding his acknowledgement. _Why would she wish to travel with one who does not speak her language when she has the miko? _He would have to make it clear to his retainers that the same rules apply regarding Vanessa as to Rin. The woman was now, officially, under his protection. They would have to work on communication.

As if in solution to Sesshoumaru's communication concerns, the monk and old miko approached them, and Kagome rose to greet them. "Kaede! Miroku! Vanessa has decided to travel with Sesshoumaru-sama back to the Western Lands." Kaede gave the girl a meaningful look, "Is that so? If that be the case, Sesshoumaru-sama, there is something I would like to try that might aid ye in your travels."

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow at her, "Go on."

"There is a little known practice, that I think may be applied to your situation. It is called a 'Band of Understanding'. Normally it is used to help settle disputes or in rare cases to aide in marital troubles, but the charm itself is fairly uncommon."

Leaning forward slightly, giving away his interest, Sesshoumaru asked, "What does such a charm entail?"

"The few that I have seen put into use allow the pair bound by the charm to have a sense of what the other is feeling. I think that I can adapt it so that ye may understand the intent behind the words as though ye be speaking the same tongue."

"Intriguing." He shot a glance toward Vanessa who was listening intently as Kagome explained what the old miko had said. When they finished, she met Sesshoumaru's eye and gave him a half smile, shrugging. It was worth a try.

Sesshoumaru turned his gaze up to the old woman, "Do it then."

"Mind ye, ye two will be connected emotionally. It will not be anywhere near as strong as the mating bond of your kind, Sesshoumaru-sama, but strong enough that ye will not be able to lie to one another without the other knowing," Kaede cautioned.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes a fraction before replying, "It matters not, this Sesshoumaru does not lie." Within, however, he was in turmoil. He thought he had his emotions guarded safely enough that no petty charm could connect them to the girl if he didn't wish it. Still, he had not allowed anyone, _anyone_ the opportunity to read his emotions so plainly since…_ No. It is not the same. This Sesshoumaru will control what the human perceives through the charm and it will be only enough for communication._ For the first time in a very long time he felt uncertain, but if he refused they would suspect that he had something to hide. As it stands they already assumed that he felt no emotion, and if the girl felt anything from him, he would have to trust her to keep her mouth shut… or eliminate her. He was growing to dislike the latter option more with each moment he spent with the woman. "Do what must be done, miko." _Why so much for this human? She is no concern of mine._ But she was. Just like Rin, he could not abandon her and the best way to keep her safe for the moment was to allow the miko to bind them.

Kaede produced a ribbon from one of her sleeves. "The charm only works as long as ye both have your half of the ribbon about your wrist. Ye should test it before you leave to be sure that if it is removed the charm will still work when the link is replaced. Now if ye will stand side by side, I will place the charm." A quick word from Kagome and Vanessa stood and moved to Sesshoumaru's right side, careful to keep her weight off of her injury. Kaede then reached out and took Sesshoumaru's right hand and Vanessa's left and lifted them so that they nearly touched. First she tied a loop around Sesshoumaru's wrist and then around Vanessa's. When only a short length of ribbon between the two knots connected the pair, Kaede leaned forward and murmured an incantation over the ribbon, causing it to glow pink. At this point Sesshoumaru's youki flared, rebelling against the close contact of miko powers, but he suppressed it. As yet, the miko energy had not harmed him; it did not seem to be the purifying energy that could destroy a youkai. When the glowing died away, Kaede sliced through the ribbon with a blade and stepped back. Sesshoumaru gazed at her intently, but she was not so easily unnerved by his stare. Finally, when confirmation did not seem forthcoming, he spoke, "How can we be certain that you have succeeded?" His answer, however, did not come from the old miko, but from Vanessa when she snapped her head to the left, and gaped at Sesshoumaru. He could feel traces of her shock, confusion, and… happiness?

"I understood you!" She grinned at him, "I understood you as though you spoke English!"

"I assure you I did not, though I must say this Sesshoumaru is impressed that the charm works so well."

The rest of the group stared at the pair, mouths hanging open. From what they could tell, the pair still spoke completely different languages, yet were responding to one another as though they fully understood. The old miko turned to Sesshoumaru then, "This charm only works on ye two. To everyone else, ye still speak your native tongues. In the case of Vanessa, none but ye, Sesshoumaru-sama, will be able to understand her unless she learns Japanese. Now, try removing the bands and then replace them to test the duration of the charm. They should be loose enough to be removed, yet not so loose that they will be easily lost. If the spell is broken, I will need to think on how to make it stay. If not, then ye may be on your way when ye are ready and not worry about communication. If later ye find that the charm has worn off, return and I will make it stronger, though I do not believe that will be the case."

Sesshoumaru was contemplating how he might remove the band tied about his only wrist, when Vanessa's voice distracted him, "Sesshoumaru, I'll remove mine and see if it is enough to break the link then I'll put it back on and hopefully it will be re-established. That way if we don't want to be connected, then we'll know if only one of us needs to remove the band." He nodded, hiding his gratitude to her for finding a way around his handicap._ Damn that Inuyasha._

When Vanessa removed her ribbon band, Sesshoumaru felt her leave his consciousness as distinctly as though she had broken physical contact. Further confirming the break in the link, when she spoke, her words were as incomprehensible to him as they were earlier that morning. He shook his head to indicate that he could no longer understand her. Then, when she slipped the band back onto her wrist, Sesshoumaru felt her again, just as strongly as before. It would seem that the link was permanent. "Miko, what would happen if one of the bands were broken? If it were torn or untied?" Vanessa turned with Sesshoumaru to await Kaede's answer.

"I would imagine that the charm would be broken if the bands were torn. As for being untied, I am not certain. Ye should try both possibilities to be certain of the outcome. I can always create a new one. Try untying one first, and if that breaks the charm permanently, then it should be the same if it were torn."

Sesshoumaru turned back to Vanessa and held his hand out to her, saying, "Untie my band to test the charm then retie it. If the charm holds, then this Sesshoumaru will slice yours. However, this Sesshoumaru will not be able to retie it. Have someone else retie yours and we shall test the boundaries of this charm." He felt the trace of her curiosity spike at the task as she reached out and deftly untied the knot. How he wished he had two hands again. Once again he felt the connection break, though Vanessa gave no indication that she noticed._ Good, perhaps she cannot sense the bond as acutely as this Sesshoumaru can sense her emotions._ He gestured to her to replace the band in addition to verbalizing the command. When she retied the knot, he felt her presence again but not as strongly and said so to Kaede.

"Since I will need to create a new charm, try slicing the ribbon now and retying that to see if there is any connection at all."

Sesshoumaru reached out and hooked a claw under Vanessa's band and neatly sliced through the fabric, severing the connection yet again. The woman caught the ribbon before it fluttered to the ground and held it out to the young miko, knowing that she had understood both sides of the exchange. This time when the band was retied, there was no re-establishment of the connection. Sesshoumaru watched Vanessa as he told Kaede, to see if she understood any of what he said. She only looked slightly puzzled.

The old Miko removed the ribbon from Sesshoumaru's wrist and repeated the earlier process with a second ribbon. Satisfied that their link was secure, Sesshoumaru turned to Vanessa, "Rest now, and heal. We leave when you are well enough to walk easily."

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru. Thank you for everything you've done."

"Rest."

As he watched Kagome and the monk help his newest charge back to the hut, Sesshoumaru caught the scent of the only member of the party to have been absent since morning.

"Inuyasha."

"Sesshoumaru," the hanyou spat, "Shouldn't you be on your way by now?"

"I assure you, Brother," the taiyoukai responded, injecting every bit of venom into the word as he could, "I have no wish to linger here longer than necessary."

Inuyasha glared at his half-brother, "I still don't understand why you even came in the first place. What is she to you?"

"And that is still none of your concern. Your miko will not be going back to her time as was planned, so you may resume your little search for the shards of the Shikon no Tama. Again, what this Sesshoumaru does is of no concern to you." Sesshoumaru looked at the level of the sun for a moment and then turned toward the main part of the village.

"Don't turn your back on me! Where are you going!"

"The hour grows late and unlike a certain Inu-hanyou in this village, this Sesshoumaru wishes that the humans under his care are properly clothed. You would do well to heed the example of this Sesshoumaru." _Now, to find a kimono the color of that yukata…_ He knew the thought was bordering on traitorous of his own ideals, but the color really did complement the woman. She would need proper shoes as well; it really was no surprise that she had injured herself landing on the strange footwear as she did.

The village was fairly small, but, thankfully, not so small that it had no kimono dealer. At his palace, Sesshoumaru had his own tailors and seamstresses who could produce garments in any style or cut that he desired. Unfortunately, time was an issue so he settled for finding a simple kimono in a shop. He found a stretch of shops selling food and household items, and finally – yes – clothing. When the taiyoukai entered the small building, waves of fear immediately invaded his senses. He sighed mentally. _Humans._ Sesshoumaru produced a silver token with the crest of his house imprinted on the surface, and tossed it to cringing shopkeeper, who caught it on reflex. "This Sesshoumaru requires a kimono, human, and sandals."

"Y-yes. For yourself? I-I have only a small selection of men's clothing."

He settled a look on the man that clearly said that nothing in his collection would be worth a second glance from one such as himself. "No, this Sesshoumaru requires a kimono for a woman. Bring out your best silks and this Sesshoumaru will make a selection."

"Right away!" the shopkeeper squeaked, and hurried into the next room to retrieve a stack of neatly folded silk kimono, "These are my best, sir. I hope you find one that pleases you." Sesshoumaru made a noncommittal noise and began to appraise the colors and prints of the available kimono. He saw none of the silver-gray that he had hoped for, but a deep violet in the stack caught his eye. Reaching forward, Sesshoumaru glared at the man's distrustful gasp, and slid a hand between the layers of silk, careful not to snag his claws on the fabric, lifting the unwanted garments and setting them aside. He could tell that the man wanted to inspect his precious silk for snags or tears, but was either too polite, or too fearful to offend the overwhelming presence before him. Sesshoumaru assumed the latter.

The silk was violet, printed with white sakura blossoms on the sleeves and at the collar. It was simple, but would have to do. He selected a soft, white linen undergarment, white tabi socks and a plain black obi. "This is satisfactory. The token is sufficient for the clothing and sandals?" The shopkeeper studied the coin and after doing a quick calculation in his head, his eyes grew wide as he realized that the silver was more than worth the items purchased, "Y-yes! This more than covers everything."

_I should have just taken what I needed and left._ "Indeed. Keep the remainder and tell no one of this visit. The sandals?"

"Y-yes, sir!" The man gathered up the rejected kimono and scurried back to his workroom, and, since the woman in question was not present, returned with several different sizes. Sesshoumaru paused, trying to decide which would be the right size, then thought back to when he had returned to the hut with Vanessa's shoes in hand. He almost smiled to himself, praising his memory, and selected a pair of sandals that would be comfortable enough for the woman to walk in when she wasn't riding Ah-Un.

The shopkeeper carefully piled the purchases and neatly wrapped the bundle in rice paper before handing Sesshoumaru his purchase. Sesshoumaru gave the shopkeeper one last glance and said, "I take my leave," before turning and striding out the door. He mentally smirked when he heard the shopkeeper take a shuddering breath and sag against the wall. _Finally, someone who has shown this Sesshoumaru the proper level of fear._

Opting not to subject himself to unwanted questions and curious glances, Sesshoumaru went first to Ah-Un and secured the package next to Rin's blankets. Should the weather threaten to rain, he would have to return for it to be sure the silk was not ruined, but until then, it would be safe with the dragon. He was just rising to return to the old miko's hut when suddenly felt the connection with Vanessa break. His head snapped in the direction of the hut. _What-?_ It had only been a short time, but he had already grown accustomed to her presence in his consciousness. Sesshoumaru hurried to the hut. _What is this feeling?_ There was no commotion in the yard. Rin and the Kitsune lounged in a patch of wildflowers. The monk sat under a tree in meditation. Warily, Sesshoumaru pulled aside the door flap and silently entered the hut.

Vanessa lay in the shadows of the back corner of the hut, injured leg propped on a rolled-up blanket. Sesshoumaru glanced around the room – there was no one else there. He still could not shake the strange feeling. Silently, he padded over to the still form. As he knelt beside her, his keen ears detected the beat of her heart and he saw the even rise and fall of her chest; she was asleep. _Then what-?_ Then he saw it. Her fist rested on her stomach and Sesshoumaru could see a bit of black ribbon clutched in her hand. _She… only removed the band. But why?_ He glanced to the ribbon adorning his own wrist and a previously unnoticed tension seemed to release from his shoulders. Why did he react the way he did? What was that feeling? It couldn't be… worry?

VvVvVvVvV

An hour later Vanessa woke to the sounds of the evening meal being prepared. _I feel like a lazy bum sleeping so much. It's not like I'm sick._ She knew that sleep only helped her body heal itself, but it still didn't make her feel any more useless. Then she got the feeling that she was being watched and it made her skin crawl until finally she sat up and stretched. _What's this?_ She had something in her hand. Confused, Vanessa released her grip and at the sight of the black ribbon, everything came back. _Oh…_ She raised her eyes and was caught by an intense golden stare. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly. Something flashed in his eyes that Vanessa couldn't quite discern. She looked down at the ribbon in her hand and back at the taiyoukai. He raised an elegant brow at her. _Can he do _anything_ and not look dignified?_ She smiled sheepishly at him and replaced the band on her wrist.

The familiar touch of _him_ re-entered her consciousness. Vanessa continued to watch Sesshoumaru as he closed his eyes, just for a moment, but then they snapped open again to fix her with a glare that sent a shiver up her spine. In one fluid motion, the taiyoukai rose and strode out of the hut. _What was that?_

Vanessa had felt the walls that Sesshoumaru tried to construct despite their connection through the charm. It was clear that there were some things he did not want to share, so she made nothing of it. Everyone was entitled to his or her privacy after all. The residual feelings she got from him, though, Vanessa knew were just the tip of the iceberg. Still, when she first felt the traces of his emotions she was overjoyed that Kagome's group was so wrong about him. His impassive face really was just a mask, but now he had even allowed something to flash visibly across his features, though no one would have noticed if they had not been paying close attention. She had to know what it was.

Gingerly, Vanessa flexed her foot and rotated her ankle, testing its tenderness; already her sprain was feeling better. She rewrapped the bandage just a little tighter, the rest of the group oblivious to her actions. When she was finished, she slowly rose to her feet, leaning against the wall slightly. Vanessa carefully tested her weight on the injured limb and decided that she could walk on it, at least for a short distance. Everyone in the hut was so busy with their own tasks that they hardly noticed the woman slowly making her way toward the door.

Once out in the cool evening air, Vanessa had little trouble locating the taiyoukai. He seemed to glow in the fading light as he sat at the base of a great tree. Sesshoumaru seemed distracted, staring at a point in the grass before him. At first he didn't even seem to notice Vanessa's presence as she carefully made her way across the yard, only wincing a little every other step. Then when she was halfway to him, his head snapped up and almost before she could blink, he was at her elbow, supporting her. _He's so fast._ "What are you doing out here?" he demanded.

"I…"

"Come. Sit."

Sesshoumaru led Vanessa back to the tree he had been leaning against and helped her to sit. She looked over at him as he dropped gracefully beside her, "I'm really feeling much better. My ankle doesn't hurt nearly as much anymore." Sesshoumaru gave her a sidelong look before returning his gaze to the forest.

"Why did you remove your band?" Whatever Vanessa was expecting him to say, it wasn't that.

"What? What do you mean?"

"This afternoon. This Sesshoumaru felt the connection break and knew not the cause." _He was worried? And… I'm human. Oh, I bet that doesn't sit well with him._

"Oh! I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. I didn't know how you felt about being so closely tied to my emotions and I didn't want anything that I might dream to overwhelm your senses," at the look Sesshoumaru gave her, she quickly amended, "what I mean is, I guess if I happened to have a nightmare or something, I didn't want you to worry." Vanessa glanced over at the demon lord, but he continued to stare straight ahead, face as impassive as ever, so she continued softly, "But I guess I worried you anyway, didn't I?"

He looked over at her then, his eyes hinting at a curious expression and Vanessa could almost feel the conflict within him.

"Just don't…" Sesshoumaru hesitated, something Vanessa had not yet witnessed in the demon lord's speech. He always seemed to know exactly what he would say, never wasting a word, but then his eyes steeled, returning once again to their normal coldness, "If this Sesshoumaru is to ensure your safety so that you may return to your home, there must be no such surprises."

Vanessa's breath caught at the coldness in his tone. _This guy could melt the heart of a volcano if he put his mind to it._ But then he surprised her and spoke again, this time without the icy edge to his voice, "However," he turned to her, his eyes still hard, yet not nearly as cold as they had been, "Perhaps it is wise to break the link while sleeping. One cannot control what dreams may plague the unconscious." Sesshoumaru looked away before adding softly, "There are some arenas another has no business entering, no matter the connection." His nostrils flared briefly and he turned to her, offering his hand, effectively cutting of that particular train of thought, "Come. Your meal is ready."

Sesshoumaru pulled Vanessa to her feet and helped her back to the hut. As they approached the door, he stopped and turned to the woman, "If you ride Ah-Un, will you be able to leave by morning? I believe my brother is anxious for my departure. As am I." Vanessa shifted her feet, testing her injury. It really was feeling better and she figured that it must not have been as bad as she originally thought, so she nodded.

"Yes. If I am not able to return home right away, then I'm eager to see more of this land of yours." She smiled.

"Good. Then we leave at dawn." Vanessa sighed mentally. _Dawn? And I thought morning labs in college were bad. _They proceeded into the hut just as Kagome reached the door to call everyone in.

The evening passed pleasantly and Vanessa decided that since she would have to be up so early, she would turn in early as well. She told Kagome that they would be leaving in the morning and the other woman assured her that she would up to see her off.

As Vanessa slid between her blankets, she carefully removed the ribbon band from her wrist and laid it on her pillow beside her head. Immediately she missed the contact that the band supplied and thought she was being selfish. Despite his walls and the conflicting feelings that she only felt traces of, Sesshoumaru's presence was comforting. It was something that was growing familiar to her, but of course he wouldn't want to feel her in his own mind every moment of the day. If he had so closed himself off to emotion for who knew how long, feeling even traces of hers must be very confusing to him, though she was certain that the demon lord would never admit to it. Still, she had so many questions to ask him. Part of her desperately wanted to go home, but the rest of her wanted to learn more. What other fantastic things would she see while she was here? Already, she had encountered creatures straight out of legend and had traveled to another time and place. Thoughts of wonder continued to fill Vanessa's head as her eyes slowly drooped and she drifted off to sleep.

A/N: and that concludes chapter 5! I really hope you're enjoying this. Please let me know what you think!


	6. Revisiting the Past

A/N: I'm so excited that you like it! I'm not sure how this chapter will go over, but be prepared for some Sesshoumaru soul-searching. Sort of a segue before he can deal with any feelings he may or may not have for Vanessa.  If it's too angsty, well… keep in mind that this is a much younger Sesshoumaru. I had some comments from readers on another website asking about this version of Sesshoumaru's "past." Just to clarify, I don't know anything about Sesshoumaru's past other than what movie 3 told us. Except for a small bit about 2/3 through involving a conversation between Sesshoumaru and his father, this story came out of my head. I _know_ the quotes of said conversation are out of context and out of order and some of Inu-papa's words were really said to Myouga, BUT the original context isn't where I wanted to take this. Sesshoumaru hadn't stepped onto his path to Supreme Conquest at that point. The majority of this giant flashback will probably seem a little OOC, but… deal with it. Mwahaha. Enjoy!

Into the East

Chapter six: Revisiting the Past

Posted: 14 July 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else is mine

Sesshoumaru could not sleep, but sleep wasn't really the issue. No, ever since meeting Vanessa, his _mind_ would not give him a moment's rest. The whole purpose of taking Rin out of the palace on their little excursion was to take a break from ruling, to enjoy some much-needed relaxation. So far, the experience has been anything but relaxing. In just three days, the strange woman has effectively begun the destruction of every wall, every defense, everything that the taiyoukai had for so many years – centuries – built up around himself, making him into the formidable youkai that he was. He couldn't begin to comprehend how she had gotten under his skin in so short a time, but she stirred feelings and… memories long ago forgotten. Memories Sesshoumaru wished he didn't have to bear.

It was dark and Sesshoumaru sat alone in a small clearing in Inuyasha's forest, far from Kaede's village. The cool night air made his hair dance about him to a song only the stars knew, and high overhead the waxing moon shone brightly down on him, making his pale skin glow in an ethereal light. It should have been peaceful. It should have been the perfect setting for mind-clearing meditation. But it wasn't. Sesshoumaru sat cross-legged on a large, flat rock, trying with everything he knew to calm his restless spirit. He closed his eyes tight, willing the long-buried memories to return to their vaults, but the darkness behind his eyelids only served as a pure canvas on which the images may be made anew. Flashes, mere glimpses of the past, haunted the taiyoukai as clearly as if they had occurred only yesterday.

"_The Inu clan has been betrayed…"_

"_My mate needs me …"_

"_Sesshoumaru, I'm so happy…"_

"_Atsuko! How could you…"_

"_You are now taiyoukai of the West…"_

"_It was always about the power, love…"_

"_This Sesshoumaru… will have vengeance."_

He was so naïve then. Necessity made him change, to steel himself against the treachery of others, those who would use him for his power. Betrayal took his trust. Youkai society only knew Sesshoumaru as the ice-hearted taiyoukai, ruthless and unfeeling. The reputation served him well. All those years, no one _dared_ to cross him for fear of inciting his wrath, for not only was he merciless, he was among the most powerful youkai in existence. Few could match his strength and skill, but many had sought to manipulate him. _So long ago…_ Even in love, his enemies – though unknown at the time – sought to take advantage of him. _Atsuko_. Sesshoumaru laughed, a harsh, humorless sound that was strange even to his own ears. _How long since this Sesshoumaru has truly laughed? How long since this Sesshoumaru has smiled?_ Atsuko, the demoness whom he had loved. Atsuko, the demoness who was to be his mate. Atsuko, the demoness who betrayed him along with his entire clan. The irony was not lost on Sesshoumaru that the demoness who was the cause for him locking away his own emotions, never again to be used by others, was through her namesake called 'profound emotion'.

VvVvVvVvV

Atsuko was the first-born princess of the Golden Eagle tribe, valued allies to Sesshoumaru's father, the great Inu no Taisho. Sesshoumaru and Atsuko had known each other from the time that they were pup and fledgling together, and they were practically inseparable throughout their childhood. It was only natural that they should begin a formal courtship when they grew old enough to take mates. At that time Sesshoumaru was free with his emotions. He had always tended toward the more serious, but had no reason to hide his feelings, and, with Atsuko, he didn't. He laughed, smiled, loved… The love he thought they shared led the Inu clan nearly to ruin.

The friendship, courtship, and love that Atsuko and Sesshoumaru shared were all a ruse, designed by the Eagle clan to gain access to the Western Lands. Atsuko's father, Kinkazu, was among the Inu no Taisho's most trusted advisors. He had lands of his own and wealth, but most of all, he held the confidence of the taiyoukai of the West. Any other youkai would be thrilled to be in his position, but secretly he wanted more. He found his opportunity the moment the Inu no Taisho took Inuyasha's human mother, Izayoi, as his mate – the same time that Sesshoumaru began courting Atsuko. Kinkazu spread rumors that the Inu no Taisho was weakening in mind and body; his mating with the human only proved it. His clever words caused malcontent throughout the Western Lands, though no one could yet trace it back to the trusted advisor.

Nearly a year went by as the Inu no Taisho's reign slowly disintegrated, during which time Izayoi became pregnant with Inuyasha. Proper courtships among youkai may last years or even decades; they live long enough that the tradition is hardly an inconvenience, and taking a mate is a very serious commitment that ultimately involves the binding of both souls. It is not to be taken lightly and the bond is not easily broken. So during this time, Sesshoumaru and Atsuko were in the relatively early stages of their courtship. It was then that Sesshoumaru caught the first taste of what would become a most sinister betrayal, though at that point, he felt it primarily on a personal level.

Sesshoumaru's palace now holds a mere fraction of the clan's former retainers, but under the Inu no Taisho's rule the halls were fairly bursting at the seams with youkai. Youki seeped so thickly into the consciousness of everyone within the walls that it was often easier to rely on physical senses to become aware of one's surroundings. This is where Inu youkai and Eagle youkai differed. Atsuko and Sesshoumaru were a formidable pair on the battlefield; Sesshoumaru's extraordinary hearing and sense of smell complimented Atsuko's eyesight perfectly, but that sensory difference ultimately led to the Eagle clan's own undoing. Sesshoumaru had just returned from a trip and was eager to find his mate-to-be. He had brought back a gift, a trinket really, for Atsuko to add to her collection of porcelain figures and wanted to give it to her. As he rounded the corner on her hall, his keen ears caught her musical voice, though the words she spoke sounded discordant to his ears. The young prince stopped, uncertain whether to make himself known or to wait and listen a little longer. Normally he opposed eavesdropping, but this time he waited; she was talking about him, talking about how easily she had bent him to her will, that his love for her was his greatest weakness and had set her father's plan in motion.

Atsuko spoke nothing more of her father's plan and eventually the subject changed to other mundane things that females seemed to love to chatter on about. Sesshoumaru turned on his heel and walked swiftly to his quarters, his heart breaking a little more with each step. She had used him. All his life his best friend and soon to be mate had used him, and for what? Some plan of her father's? A part of his brain told him to focus on what that plan might be, but at the moment his heart overruled any logic that he might have possessed. She had called him weak. The Inu clan was anything but weak, and Sesshoumaru was no exception, but if loving Atsuko made him weak, he didn't want to be strong. Sesshoumaru was young, vibrant, handsome and full of life, but that afternoon, he felt the crushing weight of heartbreak and personal betrayal more acutely than anything he had ever known. His Atsuko had thought him weak, used him, and in all those years he had never even suspected.

Well, if that was the way she wanted to play, so be it. Sesshoumaru the lover began to be overcome by Sesshoumaru the leader, Sesshoumaru the demon lord, as he is known today. _That_ Sesshoumaru would want to sulk in his chambers, wallowing in self-pity, wondering what he could have done differently, but not _this_ Sesshoumaru. _This_ Sesshoumaru would take action. But not at first, no. He would plan, gather information, regain ground he had unwittingly lost. He would make it known that _this_ Sesshoumaru would _not _be used. _This _Sesshoumaru is _not_ weak. _This _Sesshoumaru displays his feelings for _no one_.

That night at dinner, Sesshoumaru donned for the first time the impassive mask that would become his trademark. It was difficult, to say the least, to look his betrothed in the eye and not scream at her _Why can't you take my love simply for what it is? Why do you think so little of me after all this time that you could use me as a pawn in your little game? Atsuko! How could you do this to me?_ But he remained silent, biding his time, not yet trusting his voice. Sesshoumaru locked his heart away that evening, unsure whether he would ever bring it out again. The cold, silent, unfeeling Sesshoumaru was born that day because of a love that went wrong. He would only find out later how very wrong indeed.

Mid-way through Izayoi's pregnancy, the Inu no Taisho received word of a Dragon youkai amassing a great army bent on invading the Western Lands. He would have to gather his own troops and meet them in battle, though he did not yet know who the Dragon lord was, or his reason for invasion. It didn't matter really. The simple fact was that his lands would soon fall under attack and he needed to defend his people, and for the first time, Sesshoumaru found himself in complete, indefinite control, of the reign that would one day be his.

For the past several months, he had been roaming the far reaches of his father's lands, rooting out trouble and putting a halt to minor disturbances. He quickly found that his presence as son and heir of the Inu no Taisho, as well as his newfound cold, calculating calm, was enough to cow even the most irate mobs into submission. He even led a few minor skirmishes against raiders on the borders. His men held him in high regard, despite his relatively young age, and turned to him as a valued leader. When Sesshoumaru dealt out justice in his father's name, his enemies found no mercy in his eyes and he quickly developed the reputation of being ruthless, yet honorable and just. He was not a bloodthirsty warmonger, but neither was he overly lenient in the pettiness that had developed in some of the villages. The villages under his surveillance soon learned that Sesshoumaru did not tolerate their games, and adopted a fearful sort of respect for the demon prince, knowing that they would have his protection if they should need it, but only if he felt they deserved it.

Sesshoumaru's reputation as a powerful youkai was growing steadily when he was summoned to return to the palace to take charge until his father returned. Thus far he had been avoiding Atsuko, speaking with her only occasionally and briefly between assignments, but the time had come to face the demoness he had loved. The time had come to demand the truth.

The Inu no Taisho briefed Sesshoumaru on his duties when he returned to the palace. It wouldn't be anything too complicated – unless the dragons managed to break through the defenses, which wasn't likely. The inexperienced soldiers would continue to train and would be sent out to rotate with the experienced youkai, should the battle last that long. Medical supplies would be prepared and he would see to the safety of the villages immediately surrounding the palace. Watch of the farther-reaching villages would be delegated to trusted leaders.

Before setting off to gather his troops, the Inu no Taisho called Sesshoumaru into his study. There had hardly been a moment for quiet conversation since Sesshoumaru's return and the prince was eager to have a few precious moments of his father's time. He knocked softly on the door before poking his head in, "You wished to see me, Father?"

"Sesshoumaru! Come in, come in." Sesshoumaru stepped into the office and bowed before taking a seat opposite his father's large wooden desk. The youkai lord set aside a stack of papers and scrolls before smiling warmly at his son. "I have been going over reports of your assignments on the border." Sesshoumaru adopted his now-familiar stoic mask, uncertain how his father would react to the measures he had taken in calming the riotous borderlands. However, though he didn't show it, the Inu no Taisho's next words were a pleasant surprise. "I'm pleased that you were able to settle the disturbances so quickly, Sesshoumaru. I am proud of you. You are becoming every bit the demon lord I knew you would be. Now, I must take my leave and see about this Ryuukossei and his army. Izayoi will be staying with her family until I return. It is best that she be with other humans should she give birth before my return." Sesshoumaru suppressed a shudder at that last remark. His father, the great taiyoukai and Inu no Taisho had willingly sired a hanyou. It was not something that Sesshoumaru could easily stomach. He had pride in his heritage and would never so besmirch the bloodline. But… this was his father. He would bear it for no other reason than the respect he held for him, though it didn't mean that he had to like his unborn sibling.

Sesshoumaru left his father's study and sought out his betrothed. He had avoided her long enough and now it was time to learn the truth. He followed the familiar path to her quarters and quickly caught her scent. She was alone in the room, bent over a table perusing some scroll or another. As he approached, his shadow slid across her form. No matter how he tried, he could not forget how beautiful she was. Her tawny golden locks, tipped in black, reached just below her shoulder blades. Her features were striking, complementing her exotic markings – barely visible copper feather patterns surrounding her eyes. Her eyes were what had first captured him, even as a child. They were intense and round and brilliantly yellow. As he blocked her light, Atsuko started and looked up. It took a moment for her to recognize the silhouette, but when she did, she smiled up at him, "Sesshoumaru, I'm so happy you've returned."

"Indeed." Atsuko knit her brow and pouted at his slightly cold tone, then, overstepping protocol, Sesshoumaru slid the screen shut behind him. "Atsuko, we must talk."

"Of course. You've been so busy, we haven't been able to spend any prop-"

"Do you love me?" He caught her off guard.

"W-what? How can you ask such a thing?"  
"Answer me. Do you love me?" His voice was even, never once betraying the heartbreak she had caused so few months ago.

"You know very well how I feel about you." _More than you know_ he thought.

"You are avoiding the question. Tell me the truth. Do you or do you not love me?"

"Oh very well, if you must hear the words, I –"

"Do NOT," he barked, cutting her off, "lie to me."

"What is the meaning of this? Who do you think you are to come barging in here, demanding confirmation of your love?"

"Ah, but that's just it, isn't it? It was never about my love."

"What _are_ you talking about?"

"Do not play games with me. Or do you think this Sesshoumaru weak?" Her eyes grew wide. She had never before heard such a commanding tone in his voice, especially not directed at her. "Perhaps you were right. Perhaps the love this Sesshoumaru had for you was a weakness, but no more. You will see. This Sesshoumaru will not be so easily used and cast aside. You will tell me what you have been plotting behind my back and my father's."

He took a step toward her and she cringed slightly. Never had she expected such a dark countenance on her would-be mate, but then she straightened, regaining a semblance of the dignity of her race before addressing him, "Oh, Sesshou-chan." Sesshoumaru cringed inwardly; how he _hated_ that pet name of hers. Was his given name so difficult? "I suppose now that I've been found out, I should confess. You were right. It never really was about you. It was always about the power, love. The power you already possess, the power you will inherit. Power beyond anything my clan could have imagined. And it will be mine." He regarded her for a long moment with an impassive eye before finally responding, "I think not."

"The plan has already been set in motion, Sesshoumaru! There's nothing you or your father can do now."

"There is something I can do. If anyone should benefit from this _plan_ of yours, it shall not be you." Sesshoumaru slowly reached into the collar of his kimono and lifted a gold chain from around his neck. From it hung a colorful jewel; as was custom, the courting pair had exchanged a small gift for each of them to wear on their person as a symbol of the mating mark that would eventually take its place. _With this jewel, I announce to all that you are my intended._ The prince turned sad eyes from the jewel to the demoness, eyes in which Atsuko would never again see the emotion for which she had so criticized him. He turned his back on her and slid open the door once more. Turning a cold, hard look on Atsuko, he let the jewel slide through his clawed fingers, saying, "Atsuko, we are finished." The dull 'thunk' of the jewel hitting the floor finalized his statement better even than the soft click of the door behind him.

If Sesshoumaru took nothing else from the namesake of his bloodline, he was relentless in his investigations. He did not get the answers he desired from Atsuko, but there would be time enough to question her when he had more information. For now, he had to determine whom he trusted enough to gather said information. As he strode toward his own chambers, he thought of the long list of advisors and retainers that his father held; some he hardly knew but a few others had gained his own trust over the years. _Myouga._ Of course. The little flea was as loyal as they come, and careful. He valued his own life far too much to ever think about getting caught. Besides, his small size made him perfect as an operative. Now it was just a matter of finding the tiny youkai. Sesshoumaru would not have to wait long; the flea had a habit of breaking peaceful silences with an impetuous bite, preferring the taste of his dog demon lords to any other. Sesshoumaru had merely to wait him out.

True to his nature, Myouga made an appearance while Sesshoumaru read through some reports in his small, personal library. He had just reached the end of a scroll when he felt a pinprick on the back of his neck. With a sigh, Sesshoumaru slapped his neck and brought his hand up to his face with the tiny youkai caught firmly between two claws.

"Oh, but master! I haven't had the opportunity to taste your young, especially tasty blood in so long. I couldn't live with myself knowing that you have returned and I had not paid proper respects." Sesshoumaru rose and smoothly closed the door, before addressing the flea.

"Myouga." The tiny youkai fell silent at his young master's impassive yet commanding tone and thought to himself that it had been a very long time indeed for him not to have noticed the change in Sesshoumaru's demeanor. Sesshoumaru continued, "As acting taiyoukai until the return of the Inu no Taisho, this Sesshoumaru has a task for you."

"Yes, m'lord?"

"I have received word of a plot against my father and perhaps myself. I know not the nature of this plot, though it would seem that the Golden Eagle tribe is not content with my father's generosity thus far. This Sesshoumaru is too… involved with the tribe to properly and discreetly gain information. It would seem that Kinkazu and Atsuko are behind it. Atsuko has told me that the plan is already set in motion. I need you to find out what that plan is and what they expect the result to be."

"Yes, m'lord, I will do as you say." Sesshoumaru raised an elegant brow and allowed a small smirk to grace his lips.

"And Myouga, if you do well and discreetly gather information, you will have no worry of your life being in danger."

"Master! That's not fair! I am nothing if not your humble servant."

"Indeed. Go now," Sesshoumaru set the tiny youkai on his table, "Return to me when you have information."

"Right away, m'lord!" When he was dismissed, the flea bounded to the door and wriggled through a gap at the floorboards. Sesshoumaru returned to his scrolls. _And now, to wait._

It was nearly six weeks before Myouga returned to Sesshoumaru with any information of great value. Until then, all he had been able to gather was a running list of names of those who seemed sympathetic to the Eagle tribe – more names than Sesshoumaru would have liked. Once again, the demon prince was in his library; he had grown to greatly appreciate the solitude the small room offered after a day in the constant press of his retainers and advisors.

Myouga hopped up on the table and bowed before addressing Sesshoumaru. "Master, I've found out something of the eagles' plans that might be of some use." Sesshoumaru set aside his papers and looked at the flea.

"Go on."

"M'lord, it concerns the dragon Ryuukossei. It seems that Kinkazu made a deal with Ryuukossei, that the dragons would destroy the Inu no Taisho in battle in exchange for a portion of the Western Lands, which Kinkazu would take through Atsuko as your mate or by overthrowing you by force."

"Is that so. I have ended my courtship with Atsuko, so that only leaves what will prove to be a futile attempt on his part to overthrow this Sesshoumaru. It would seem that the eagles have mistakenly underestimated the inu-youkai. In the end this will prove to be in our favor. You have done well, Myouga. Spread the word to those whom you are certain are loyal, that when the time comes, they must come if called."

"Yes, m'lord, then if I may, I take my leave."

Sesshoumaru nodded, pulling the list of those loyal to the eagles from a stack. He had known some of those youkai since he was a pup, but betrayal was not to be tolerated. He would eliminate them with his own hands if he had to.

Sesshoumaru allowed several more weeks to pass before making his move. He had received word from his father that the two opposing armies were at something of a standstill. The time had come. Sesshoumaru sent for his fastest messenger, a young falcon-youkai by the name of Kiyoshi, and set to writing a response to his father. If Kiyoshi met with little resistance, he would reach the Inu no Taisho's camp by sundown.

_Honorable Father,_

_The Inu clan has been betrayed by none other than the Golden Eagles who had for so long been loyal. This Sesshoumaru will dispose of the traitors in your absence. Be wary of Ryuukossei as he is in league with the eagles. They mean to take over the Western Lands together. Fight well and bravely, Father._

_Your son and heir,_

_Sesshoumaru_

As Sesshoumaru placed his personal seal on the missive, a knock sounded on his door.

"Enter."

Kiyoshi bowed low and entered the library, "You sent for me, my lord?"

"You are to take this message to my father. Travel as fast as you know how. It is important that he receive this message as soon as possible, preferably before nightfall. Give it to no one but the Inu no Taisho." He handed the message over, "And if you should be intercepted, do not hesitate to destroy the message and return to me at once."

The dismissal was clear and Kiyoshi walked calmly out of the room and then out of the palace where he discreetly transformed to his bird form and sped off to the north. Sesshoumaru knew that he could trust the young messenger and had little worry that the message would make it safely into his father's hands. There should be little trouble; Myouga's reports gave no indication that the eagles knew he was on to them more than his questioning of Atsuko months prior. Sesshoumaru would get his answers, and destroy any who stood in his way.

Sesshoumaru's confrontation with Kinkazu was surprisingly mild, a disappointment really after lying in wait for so long, preparing his counter attack. It seemed that Ryuukossei and Kinkazu had planned their attacks such that the Inu no Taisho and Sesshoumaru would be destroyed at around the same time, giving neither the opportunity to warn the other, or so they thought. Kinkazu had witnessed Sesshoumaru training on the palace grounds and thought he knew the younger youkai's limits, but he had never seen him truly attack. That night Sesshoumaru was reading in his library when Kinkazu sent a messenger to him, requesting his presence outside. _Not very subtle, old bird._ Sesshoumaru followed the messenger into the yard and was met with a crowd of agitated youkai, every face matching a name on his list. Myouga had been very thorough and it seemed that he had not left anyone out.

Seeing Sesshoumaru standing alone among the band of traitors, Kinkazu smirked. 'This will be too easy,' he thought. He had no idea that Sesshoumaru had a small army of his own hiding nearby in the guise of palace servants. The prince, however, felt no need to call them yet. It was clear to him that the old eagle continued to underestimate his power. Finally Kinkazu approached Sesshoumaru with Atsuko close on his heels. _So, she has come to witness this Sesshoumaru's demise. She is sorely mistaken, if she believes that this Sesshoumaru will succumb so easily._

"Sesshoumaru," Kinkazu began without preamble, "It has been a great many years that I have served your family, and where has it gotten me? A few small holdings, a bit of gold? But still, I sit in the shadow of your father. No more. Even as we speak, the dragon Ryuukossei is eliminating his presence from the earth. I want your land, Sesshoumaru, and I will have it. Soon the Eagles will reign supreme over the Western Lands and the great Inu clan will fall into ruin. Kneel to me, Sesshoumaru, and you might live. Resist and you will surely die." The eagle ended his speech then, waiting for the prince's response.

Sesshoumaru snorted. "I think not." Kinkazu faltered at Sesshoumaru's cool, calm tone. He had not struck an ounce of fear into the dog demon's heart, but quickly he recovered, calling his men into action.

The circle of youkai closed in while Kinkazu and Atsuko stepped back to watch. It would still be a great many years before Sesshoumaru had the evil sword Toukijin forged, but even with an ordinary katana, he was a formidable opponent. Sesshoumaru whirled and leapt, weapons clashing around him in his dance with death. He blocked, parried, attacked, counter-attacked, and none of the youkai could touch him. His claws glowed green with poison as he slashed. His youki whip cut cleanly through the masses. All who witnessed the attack fully came to understand the true meaning behind his namesake. 'Killing Perfection.' 'Destroyer of Life.' Though blood flew everywhere from his attacks, Sesshoumaru's white silk remained spotless. He was an artist, each attacker a fresh canvas on which to perfect his technique. Finally, Sesshoumaru alone stood among the bodies, facing his father's most trusted advisor and his daughter, whom the prince himself had loved. He spoke to them, low and cold, his voice devoid of any emotion but the pure disdain he held for their traitorous souls, "You have made a mistake in underestimating this Sesshoumaru. You thought to betray me and mine, used me my entire life for your petty gain and you will pay for it with your lives."

Sesshoumaru approached the lone pair slowly, his heart beating a cadence in his ears in his march of death. In one swift stroke he cut down Kinkazu, a death more painless than he deserved, and dropped his blade. Atsuko screamed as he advanced on her next, catching her by the throat, choking off her screams and her air. She looked at him, pleading, and managed to choke out, "Sesshoumaru… don't you… love… me?" He looked at her coldly, masking his turmoil over what he was about to do.

"Any love I might have held for you died the day you turned that love against me." She knew it was true. She opened her mouth, trying in vain to get a breath past the iron grip of Sesshoumaru's hand, but it was useless. In the end, she stilled, the light in her eyes flickering and fading into a dull, lifeless stare. Sesshoumaru lowered her to the ground and cradled her still form to his chest, allowing the world to come crashing down upon him just for a moment. _We could have been wonderful together, if only you could have seen past your father's greed._ The first and only love of his life was gone, died by his own hands, and Sesshoumaru knew that it would haunt him for the rest of his many, many days. He laid her down and rose, retrieving his sword and settling into the familiar - now comfortable - mask of indifference and strode to the palace. The bodies would be disposed of by morning, he knew. Such things were part of life as a youkai. Often it was a savage kill-or-be-killed existence, but it was what he knew. It was part of his being. Life continued on as Sesshoumaru wrote a brief account of the short battle to his father. He set the letter aside until Kiyoshi returned and then retired to his bed. It had been a long day.

Days turned into weeks and the Inu no Taisho had not yet returned, nor had Sesshoumaru received word from him. He could only assume that his father was engaged in an epic battle with the dragon – it was not unheard of for a pair to battle incessantly for weeks at a time – or that Kiyoshi, along with all of the great dog general's army had been destroyed. In the days after his dispatching of Kinkazu and his group of traitors, Sesshoumaru was regarded in the halls of the palace with fearful glances and hasty bows. They all knew now of the betrayal to the Inu clan, yet for someone to single-handedly reap so much destruction in so short a time caused a fear deep in their cores that was not easily removed. Sesshoumaru, however, found that a healthy amount of fear from his subordinates suited him. He was stern, but never cruel; his subjects knew of his honor, yet also knew that he would not hesitate to shed blood if the need arose. Whispers arose praising the strength and honor of the Inu clan, whispers that had not been heard since the Inu no Taisho took Izayoi as his mate. What would happen when Sesshoumaru's father returned? Would he return?

Finally, one afternoon, while Sesshoumaru was making his rounds of the palace grounds, a gate runner approached him, panting. He had clearly been searching the entire grounds for the young lord.

"Sesshoumaru…-sama! Your… father has… returned. He's… wounded." Sesshoumaru nodded and turned back toward the palace as the runner slumped against a tree, trying to catch his breath. The Inu no Taisho's wounds must indeed have been severe for them not to heal in the time it took to return from the northern border. He reached his father's chambers and waited patiently while the palace healers picked up where the field medics left off. There was a lot of blood. The white-robed healers bustled about the room in a strange sort of dance, trying to be everywhere at once, yet never getting in the way of the others. Sesshoumaru knew not to interrupt; he would get the opportunity to speak with his father soon enough.

When the bandages finally held without being immediately soaked through with blood, the healers filed out of the room, giving Sesshoumaru firm instructions not to let his father get too excited. He was to remain on the futon until they deemed him healed enough to move. Sesshoumaru silently crossed the room and knelt beside the futon, waiting for his father to open his eyes.

"Sesshoumaru," the Inu no Taisho's voice was soft; Sesshoumaru had never heard his father sound so weak.

"Father, what happened?" It was hard for him to believe that there was a being powerful enough to reduce _his_ father to such a state.

"Ryuukossei was stronger than I had expected. We fought for two weeks, neither of us gaining an inch of ground over the other until, in a last desperate attempt on both our parts to end it, we struck at one another. He tore at my side with his teeth, but I caught him, pinning him to the mountain. One of my fangs broke in his belly and I sealed him where he lay." Sesshoumaru's father fell silent for a time and he thought he might have fallen asleep, but then his eyes fluttered open again. "I could not destroy Ryuukossei. He only sleeps, frozen by the seal, but with their leader disposed of, the rest of the dragons quickly disbanded and returned to their home. I let them go. My men carried me home. I couldn't even walk on my own. I faded in and out of consciousness until I came safely into my palace." Sesshoumaru rose, seeing that his father was tired.

"Sleep now, father. I will see to it that no one disturbs your rest." Sesshoumaru turned toward the door and thought he heard his father utter something like, "Good son" before succumbing to unconsciousness.

Sesshoumaru's father slept through the night and all of the next day, but that night when Sesshoumaru came to check on him, there was a great commotion coming from his room.

"She is my mate and I WILL go to her!" the Inu no Taisho roared as Sesshoumaru approached. The healers were trying to convince him that he was still too injured to travel, even as far as the lady's village. They even went so far as to try and physically restrain him and block his exit. Sesshoumaru stepped silently to the doorway; he could see that his father's bandages were starting to turn crimson again as he pace the room. The youkai blocking the door still had not noticed the prince's presence so he took a step closer.

"Stand aside." The healer nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Sesshoumaru's voice so close behind her.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Please, you have to try to stop him. His wounds are opening again and he really shouldn't be traveling." Sesshoumaru looked past her to his father, who had quieted at his son's approach, silently challenging his son, daring Sesshoumaru to try and stop him.

"Leave us," was the cold command of the prince.

The fleet of healers quickly scurried out of the room, confident that their prince would talk some sense into their lord. Sesshoumaru slid the door closed behind them and turned to his father. "Sesshoumaru," the Inu no Taisho began, "I do not need to explain myself. My mate needs me, and I will go to her. She is in pain and I can feel her fear. I cannot afford to lose her." _Too… He cannot afford to lose her as he did mother… at _my _birth. _Sesshoumaru knew of the mating bond, that both mates had an almost physical connection to one another, feeling what the other felt. If his father felt his mate needed him, there would be no stopping him, injuries or not.

"Father, do you insist on going?"

"Do you intend to stop me, Sesshoumaru?" Sesshoumaru studied his father for a long moment, taking in both the injuries and the determined look in his eyes.

"I will not stand in your way," he said coldly.

The Inu no Taisho regarded his son, as though seeing him for the first time, "Sesshoumaru, you have changed. You've grown cold these past months. It has no doubt made you into a formidable youkai, yet…" He was silent for a time, gazing out the window at the moon then turned back to his son. Sesshoumaru was surprised at his change sudden change in tack when his father spoke again, "Tell me, Sesshoumaru. Have you someone to protect?"

_I _had_ someone to protect. I would have protected her with my life, and she tossed me aside, plotted to kill me._ He narrowed his eyes slightly at his father, "Why would I have any reason to waste my time protecting someone?" His answer seemed to disappoint his father.

"Sesshoumaru, I understand that you hurt, but do not so easily give up on love."

"That love was my greatest weakness. I will not so easily trust in it again."

The great dog demon left then. Neither would know that this conversation would be their last, and Sesshoumaru was to be left with a hanyou half-brother, a brother that Sesshoumaru's own father had died to protect. And Izayoi. His father's _human_ mate. Irrational though it may be, he blamed her. Had she not been his mate, or had she been youkai herself, she would not have needed Sesshoumaru's father to save her and he would still be alive. He left to go to her in her human village where she and the hanyou pup were being threatened and, already injured, he paid for her safety with his life. The next morning Kinkazu's replacement, a tiger-youkai, came to Sesshoumaru with the news. "Sesshoumaru-sama, it grieves me to report that your honored father has been slain. As his heir, you are now taiyoukai of the West."

The news settled on Sesshoumaru's shoulders like a boulder. His father died. His father… died? The thought was inconceivable – his father couldn't die. He was the most powerful youkai that Sesshoumaru knew of. He was larger than life; he would rule the Western Lands for centuries, millennia to come. Except that he wouldn't. Because of an eagle, a dragon and a human woman, Sesshoumaru was robbed of everything he once held dear. _Atsuko… Father…_ He was brought out of his thoughts once again by the advisor's voice, "Sesshoumaru-sama, your brother Inuyasha and his mother survived. Shall they be sent for?"

Sesshoumaru glared at him, making the tiger-youkai draw back at the force of his gaze, and in a voice that could have frozen the sun, he spoke, "This Sesshoumaru has no brother. What happens to the hanyou and his… _mother_ is no concern of mine."

"Understood. Sesshoumaru-sama." The advisor bowed and excused himself from Sesshoumaru's presence.

In the silence of his library, Sesshoumaru felt his grief fully descend upon him. He allowed himself a moment before settling back into his impassive mask, twisting his emotions, molding his grief into an iron ball in his core. His loss would only make him stronger. Now there were no attachments, no one to be used against him, no one to use him. The iron weight in the pit of his very being served as a reminder to Sesshoumaru that attachments were a liability. For more than two centuries Sesshoumaru built his reputation and power. He would become the icy youkai lord, untouchable and untouched. He would keep no friends, offer no insight to his feelings. He would become ruthless in battle, never relenting, never showing mercy when his honor came into question. Throughout those long years, one name never ceased to trigger Sesshoumaru's wrath. _Inuyasha._ One name that his people quickly learned never to utter in his presence. _Inuyasha._ The only connection Sesshoumaru still had to the year he changed the course of his destiny. _Inuyasha._

_This Sesshoumaru will have vengeance. _

VvVvVvVvV

More than two hundred years after the death of his father, Sesshoumaru found himself sitting alone on a rock in a forest named after his brother, and he found his thoughts turning to the brother that he had for so long wanted to eliminate. In a strange twist of fate, Sesshoumaru discovered that he shared something besides a father with the hanyou. Inuyasha had also been betrayed by his first love – the miko Kikyou. Fifty years sealed to a tree had been the price for his love, and yet… he had opened his heart again. He may not fully realize his love for the new miko, but it was there. Just because Sesshoumaru had locked his own feelings away, did not mean that he was ignorant to the same in others. And the hanyou had friends. The unlikely group was as close a pack as any Sesshoumaru had seen. For the first time… ever, Sesshoumaru felt the pang of jealousy, and of his half-brother no less. How did he do it? Scorned and abused, as Inuyasha was his entire life, the hanyou had learned to open his heart to the ragtag group of humans and youkai alike. Sesshoumaru knew that Inuyasha would fight to protect them, and however futile the attempt may be; he would protect them with his life. _It's true, then, what they say… that Inuyasha is his father's son._

_Have you someone to protect?_ Sesshoumaru's last conversation with his father returned to haunt him. The Inu no Taisho _had_ died to protect someone, and Inuyasha _would_ die to protect someone. Where did that leave Sesshoumaru? Alive, naturally, yet… alone. _Why _do_ I care about what happens to Rin, or Vanessa for that matter? Surely my actions have reason. Has Inuyasha seen something in me that I have sworn never again to allow?_

Sesshoumaru's thoughts shifted again to the enigma that was the human woman from the future. He still didn't know what to make of her or his actions toward her. She ran to him blindly and he had saved her, helped her try and find her way home, but why? She had seemed to trust him, though at first there was no way she could have known who or what he was. When she did learn, she had shown him the proper respect due to his station, and yet… it felt wrong. For reasons Sesshoumaru could not fathom, he didn't want her to cower before him; he wanted respect, true, but not fear from the woman.

Vanessa was new and fresh. She had no preconceptions of what he should be. Somehow, she didn't feel the terror that most other humans did in his presence, but neither was she filled with a jealous greed like so many other youkai that he had encountered, wanting only a taste of his power. What should he do about her? Never in his life had Sesshoumaru met anyone like her. She seemed so helplessly innocent, but he knew she was strong in her core. How else could she have survived traveling through space and _time_ without running and screaming like a lunatic? She greeted every new experience and challenge with an almost absurd curiosity. _Her curiosity will surely get her into trouble._ He didn't know how to react to her. So far he had only shown her the cool impassive mask that he showed everyone else, and probably would for a long time yet, but for how long? Already there were times when he wanted nothing more than to see her smile.

It didn't make sense. Didn't Sesshoumaru profess to despise humans? And yet, he had taken her under his protection until they reached the miko. Why not leave her there? Why open his home to her? _The half-breed can hardly protect his own friends, let alone mine._ Friend? Sesshoumaru didn't have friends. He had acquaintances, subjects, allies, perhaps, but not friends. And he bought her a gift. _She needed proper clothing._

In an uncharacteristic show of frustration, Sesshoumaru scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to dispel the confusion that had settled on him, and rested his chin in the crook of his thumb and forefinger. He absently focused his gaze on a point on the rock before him. It had been a long time since he had felt so unsettled.

A songbird broke the silence and Sesshoumaru looked up with a slight frown to see that the night had passed without his realizing it. _Hn._ He was distracted, but no longer tormented, just… confused. He didn't like being confused – it felt like a loss of control, and Sesshoumaru was nothing if not in control. He always knew exactly what he would say, what he would do and when. Now, Sesshoumaru knew that he would have to hurry if he wanted to start the journey home before the sun rose too high. He gracefully unfolded himself from his sitting position and turned toward the village.

As he ran swiftly back to the old miko's hut, a white blur to anyone who might have caught a glimpse, he decided that he would wait to see what happened with Vanessa. There was no telling how long she would stay in his time, and in that time he was determined to have his questions answered. He felt the now-familiar presence of Vanessa spark to life in his consciousness, and he smirked to himself. _Besides, Rin enjoys her company._

A/N:

So, the back-to-the-present bit at the end feels kind of weak to me. I may end up revising it at some point.


	7. Traveling Companions

A/N: You'd think that since I have up to ch. 12 written, I'd be a little more timely in posting to this site… Well… here it is, and I'll post a few more this weekend probably, now that I've (hopefully) gotten over a case of writer's block over the newest chapter. Also, many thanks to everyone who has reviewed! I love reading what you have to say.

Don't get too confused by the bit at the beginning. I'll periodically put in a paragraph or two about how Vanessa's family is coping. Can't forget them!

Into the East

Chapter seven: Traveling Companions

Posted: 22 July 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else is mine

He scoured the news websites, searching for anything concerning his businesses. He had been traveling back and forth between his international locations and it had been a while since he had last visited the states. Of course, it wouldn't do to be surprised with information from the media when his own people should have informed him, so he continued his scan of the web - but then a short article caught his eye and made him pause, his breath catching. He almost missed it.

'_**Boston Socialite Disappears from Salem Estate**_

_Three days ago, Vanessa Cartwright (24), daughter of William and Melinda Cartwright of Boston, disappeared from a party on the estate of Michael Swenson in Salem, MA. Cartwright's fiancée Bryce MacMillan (25) last saw her just before dusk, walking toward the gardens. "She wanted me to go on a walk with her," recounts a distraught MacMillan, "but I wanted to stay near the house where the party was. I can't help feeling that if I had gone with her or persuaded her to stay close by, that nothing would have happened."_

_Other friends have commented on Wellington and MacMillan's relationship. One friend of the pair told reporters, "They've been drifting apart for a while now, everyone can see it, but it's not like Nessa to just leave. She just cares too much to make everyone worry like that. I hope nothing terrible has happened. Please find her."_

_There are as yet no leads on the young woman's disappearance, though some suspect foul play due to the fact that her coat and other personal belongings were left behind within the house. Further information will be released as it becomes available."_

He stared at the screen, absorbing what he read, all thoughts of business fleeing from his notice. _Vanessa… ?_ Immediately, he began making arrangements for his return trip to the United States.

VvVvVvVvV

Vanessa woke before the sun had fully risen above the trees. Surprisingly, she wasn't at all sleepy anymore. _Figures, they've had me on bed rest for the past day and all for a sprained ankle._ She sat up, smiling at their concern. No one else was up yet, and rather than sit alone in the dim hut, Vanessa rolled up her blankets and made her way among the sleeping bodies and out the door. She hadn't seen Sesshoumaru and figured that he was outside somewhere, doing whatever it was that he did when he wasn't sleeping so she slipped her ribbon band on her wrist as she took in the quiet morning.

The air was cool, clean and refreshing, something very hard to find anywhere remotely near civilization in her time. Vanessa couldn't wait to see what else feudal Japan had to offer her. To her right, the slightest rustle caught her attention. When she turned, a pale figure was stepping through the trees, silent and stoic as ever. She smiled. _Who knows? Maybe one day he'll return the sentiment._ Sesshoumaru only raised one eyebrow slightly and stepped closer, "I see you are awake." Vanessa grinned at him.

"Yeah, well, I got a lot of forced rest yesterday, so… I guess I'm a little less than sleepy."

"Hn." Silence reigned over the pair for a few moments while Sesshoumaru studied Vanessa, but just before she began to feel particularly uncomfortable under his gaze, he spoke again, "When will you be ready to leave?"

"Oh. Well, I don't really have anything to pack, but I'd like to say goodbye to Kagome and Sango. Can we wait until they wake up?" She looked up at the lightening sky, "It shouldn't be too much longer." Sesshoumaru nodded.

"We will wait until then."

"Thanks," Sesshoumaru turned and began walking toward the trees again, "Um, Sesshoumaru?" He stopped and looked over his shoulder, waiting for Vanessa to continue. "I really appreciate you letting me tag along, and I really don't want to be an inconvenience, so… if there's anything I can do… um… just let me know, okay?" _Real good. Way to be intelligent, Nessa._

Sesshoumaru regarded her for a long moment, and Vanessa could have sworn that if he were any other being, he would have smiled. There was a glimmer of something in his eyes, amusement perhaps? And when he spoke, his low voice was almost gentle. "You will not be an inconvenience. There will be adjustments to be made when we reach my home, but we will discuss that further as we draw closer. Bring Rin when you are ready to leave." He gave her one last look and continued to the tree line to wait.

Vanessa re-entered the hut as everyone began to stir and gathered up her dress – she had slept in the gray yukata from before, and whoever had given it to Kagome for her had said that she could keep it. It was infinitely more comfortable than the strapless evening gown, so she decided not to change out of it for her first day of travel. She really saw no need to bring the dress with her, but… it was all she had from home. Maybe it could be cleaned and altered into some semblance of its former beauty. If not, well, it would always stand as a reminder of how she got into this time in the first place.

She sighed and laid the folded dress by the door and turned as Kagome sat up smiling brightly, "Good morning, Vanessa!"

"Morning," Vanessa replied, smiling in return. Kagome got up quickly and rebuilt the fire, setting the kettle to boil water for tea.

"Hey, Vanessa, could you come with me for a minute?"

"Sure, what's up?" Kagome just smiled and started for the door.

"It's a surprise!" Puzzled, Vanessa followed the other girl out into the yard toward the forest. What could she have planned that she couldn't show her in the hut? Vanessa jogged a couple steps and caught up; she was barely limping anymore.

"So, are you going to tell me where we're going?" Kagome grinned at her.

"Can't you tell?" Vanessa glanced around. She thought she _might_ have seen that particular tree before, but couldn't place when in the past two days, so she shrugged.

"No, sorry. I'm pretty hopeless when it comes to directions." Laughing, Kagome turned toward her.

"You'll get used to it. See where the sun is now?" Vanessa nodded. "That's east. Sesshoumaru's land is in the west, so the sun will mostly be at your back until about mid day. Then you'll be walking right into it. Oh! We're here." _The well?_

"Kagome? It didn't work last time, what makes you think it'll work now?"

"No, no. Wait here. I'll be right back." _Ok then..._ Kagome jumped over the side, while Vanessa watched in fascination as a blue-violet light flared from the depths and then Kagome was just … gone. She glanced around at the surrounding trees, feeling the strange sensation that she was being watched. _Weird. _Unsure how long she would be waiting and also not wanting to keep Sesshoumaru waiting, she returned her gaze to the depths of the well and after a few more moments, the well flared again and faded to reveal Kagome standing at the bottom. "Back!" she called up, and began climbing the vines to the top.

After pulling herself over the edge, Kagome dropped a brown backpack on the grass and sat down, motioning Vanessa to join her. "Here," she said, handing over the bag, "I thought you might be able to use this." Shocked, Vanessa took the bag, feeling that it was fairly full.

"Wow, you shouldn't have. Thank you, Kagome," she said quietly, looking up at her.

"Well, go on. Open it!" Vanessa grinned at her and opened the flap. There on the top lay a large bottle each of shampoo, conditioner and liquid body soap with a shower puff and fluffy towel. She laughed.

"I take it hygiene in this era leaves something to be desired?"

"You don't know the half of it. Believe me, you'll learn to cherish every drop. Well…" Kagome was thoughtful for a moment, "You know, you might not have a problem. I don't think I've ever seen Sesshoumaru dirty. Anyway, they're still modern conveniences. Keep digging!" The next layer was a pair of T-shirts and some very comfortable-looking sweatpants. "I figured you might not always want to wear your dress or a robe. And you know, sometimes you just want to wear pants!"

"Thanks! Really, you've done so much already." But Kagome just waved it away.

"No, I told mama what happened and she sort of went nuts. She's a mother hen to the core and can't stand knowing that there's someone _some_where who just might need the slightest bit of her help and not do anything about it. You're taller than I am, so I had to guess on your sizes, so I hope everything fits alright." Vanessa held one of the shirts up to her chest.

"I'm sure everything will be perfect. Please thank your mother for me?" Kagome nodded.

"There's more, though probably not as exciting as the rest." She was right. Vanessa made her way to the bottom of the bag and blushed, giggling. Kagome's mother really had thought of everything. She had packed about two weeks worth of new white panties, a first aid kit, toothbrush and toothpaste, a hairbrush and hair ties, and some other… feminine necessities.

"Kagome, I wouldn't have even thought about all this!" She stared placing everything carefully back in the bag. "I wish I could thank your mother myself."

"Hey, I know. When we figure out how to get you home, I'll be sure to give you my information and maybe sometime you can make a trip out here – the normal way this time, you know in a plane? - and meet her in person." Vanessa smiled as she closed the flap on her backpack.

"I'd like that." Kagome rose to her feet then, and Vanessa followed suit.

"We should probably be getting back. Inuyasha is a little touchy about me going home. Don't want a cranky hanyou on our hands!" Vanessa shouldered the bag and, grinning, followed Kagome back through the trees and down the path to the village, never noticing her silver-haired shadow.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome and Vanessa left the hut and made their way down the path through the woods. _Now where are they going?_ No one else came out of the hut and so, partly out of curiosity and partly to be sure Vanessa was not put in danger, he followed. He recognized the path. _The bone eater's well?_ Hadn't they already tried sending Vanessa through the well? And hadn't she gotten herself injured in the process? Questioning the logic capacities of humans, Sesshoumaru continued after the pair until they stopped at the well. He waited, concealed by the thick foliage, watching to find out why on earth they came to the well again when Vanessa should have been preparing to leave. The women spoke, though Sesshoumaru only understood Vanessa's words because of the band – she had no more idea why they were there than he did, and then Kagome leapt over the side and into the well.

The well flashed blue-violet soon after the miko entered. Sesshoumaru had witnessed the event twice now, but still found it difficult to believe that she landed 500 years in the future. He also found it difficult to believe that she left Vanessa defenseless in the middle of a forest. True, Sesshoumaru was near and would not let harm come to his charge, but the miko did not know that. The taiyoukai continued to watch as Vanessa glanced about almost nervously, and when her eyes slid toward his hiding place he backed deeper into the shadows, freezing when her eyes lingered for a moment before turning back to the well.

Only a few minutes passed before the well flashed again and the miko climbed out; she had with her a pack that she didn't have before she left. Sesshoumaru heard Vanessa thank Kagome as they sat on the ground together. Her expression of shock and confusion and even a small amount of embarrassment intrigued him. _A gift? What might she need that this Sesshoumaru cannot provide._ The bag seemed fairly full and Sesshoumaru could not imagine what it might contain. Vanessa opened the flap and laughed. Sesshoumaru waiting for some sort of clue but narrowed his eyes slightly when her comment reached his ears. _There is nothing wrong with my hygiene. _Though it was true that most humans he encountered seemed to be particularly averse to bathing. She pulled a few bottles out – presumably soaps of some sort, and proceeded to dig further. The next items were clothing – not the obscenely minimal clothing that the miko wore, but pants and a shirt. _Acceptable, but a kimono would be much more suitable._ He would have to be sure to have some made for her when they reached his palace.

Whatever else was in the bag, Vanessa did not pulled it out, though she did blush a bright shade of pink and Sesshoumaru could smell her embarrassment. She laughed again though, and thanked the miko, or rather, the miko's mother. Slightly perplexed, Sesshoumaru decided that no matter the species, males simply were not destined to understand females – especially when said males were listening in on conversations that perhaps they shouldn't be. The pair talked for a few more minutes then rose to return to the village. _Finally._ He let them pass, only about thirty paces from where he leaned casually against a tree. Sesshoumaru knew that if they were really looking, they would see him, but Vanessa was concentrating on not stumbling on the meager trail and the miko was looking straight ahead - until she stiffened almost unnoticeably, sensing him, and slid her eyes in his direction. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and Kagome gave no other indication that she knew he was there, but he thought he saw a smile playing at the corner of the miko's mouth. _Hn. I will be glad to be away from all of these humans._ Never mind that his only two traveling companions would, in fact, be human. Sesshoumaru followed again at a distance until they reached the village again. This time he took a seat at the edge of the forest to wait for Vanessa to say her goodbyes. He wondered why he was waiting at all. Normally, he wouldn't have hesitated to order their departure right away; he was a demon lord after all, but he didn't want to upset the woman.

Sesshoumaru thought it strange that he would be considering the feelings of another. It hadn't stopped him before, but he also knew that an unhappy female – of any species – made for miserable company, and he _had_ offered for her to accompany him of his own free will. _Why, I shall never know._ Sounds from within told Sesshoumaru that the others were having breakfast, and he hoped that Vanessa would be ready to leave soon after they were finished. He tired of the presence of so many humans, but mostly he tired of the scent of his hanyou brother. The first day it had been an internal struggle not to wipe his presence from the earth. It would have been so easy, but he had made a promise – if only to himself – to protect Vanessa while she was under his care. Surely slaughtering one whom she had begun to think of as a comrade would violate some level of the rules of "protection." No matter. The hanyou's time would come. Sesshoumaru was stirred out of his thoughts by movement near the hut. Vanessa was talking to Kagome while Rin peeked from behind her legs, looking up at the conversing adults. Golden eyes softened at the sight of the little girl. _Rin truly has taken to the woman._ The journey home may yet prove interesting.

Finally, Vanessa and Kagome embraced and Vanessa took Rin's hand before turning toward Sesshoumaru. Rin was positively beaming up at her – until she saw her Sesshoumaru-sama and broke away to run up to him, stopping just short of leaping into his lap. Sesshoumaru turned his gaze on the girl when she approached. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Kagome-sama said that Vanessa-sama is coming with us! Is it true?" The girl was almost pleading that he say yes.

"Yes, Rin," he rose smoothly to his feet, "Vanessa will be returning to stay with us for a time." Turning to Vanessa, he asked, "Are you ready?"

She smiled brightly, "Yep, all ready! Let's go."

As the three approached, Ah-Un raised his heads and rumbled a greeting. Sesshoumaru set about checking the straps on the dragon's saddle and his hand brushed the paper package containing Vanessa's kimono. He stared at it. It wasn't a gift really… After all, the woman needed proper clothing. Yet… why did he hesitate?

"Sesshoumaru?" He retracted his hand and turned slowly toward Vanessa. "Is everything okay?" Making up his mind, Sesshoumaru turned back to Ah-Un and unfastened the package and offered it to her.

"You require clothing appropriate to this time, wear this for now."

Vanessa just stared for a moment then shook herself, blushing. Gently, she took the package from Sesshoumaru's hand and clutched it to her chest. "Thank you." Then she grinned at him and sat down, asking, "Can I open it now?" _She is acting as though I just gave her a festival gift. Are all humans this easy to please?_ His thoughts turned to Rin; he merely had to speak to her and she was thrilled. _Maybe just the females?_

"That is why I have given it to you."

Vanessa untied the string and pulled away the paper, gasping when she caught sight of the silk. "Oh, it's beautiful!" She ran her fingers over the fabric and traced one of the flowers. _Beautiful? Mediocre quality at best._ Even to Sesshoumaru, the kimono paled in comparison to the quality of the dress that Vanessa had arrived in, so he was a little surprised at her reaction.

"Change and we shall be on our way." Vanessa stood, the pile of clothes in her hands, and glanced about for a relatively secluded space in which to change while Sesshoumaru turned his back on her modesty. After a moment he heard the rustle of fabric and then a few minutes later, a tentative, "Sesshoumaru?" He glanced over his shoulder.

"Yes?"

"What do you think?" Vanessa spun around once, letting her long, wide sleeves flutter around her. _What do I think?_ She smiled happily at him, exuding cheer and innocence. _I think…_ He thought she looked lovely. He thought her pale hair contrasted beautifully with the dark fabric. He thought the deep violet of her kimono made her lighter violet eyes sparkle. He thought she made the simple kimono shine like something twice its worth. But Sesshoumaru could never say as much so he simply nodded.

"It is acceptable." As the words left his lips, he thought he saw her smile falter just a fraction and there was a flicker of something - disappointment? – from her, but it was gone in a flash and she smiled brightly again.

"Thank you. I really like the color. When did you get it?" she asked, fingering the wide silk sleeve.

"Yesterday. While you slept."

"Hmm. I guess that's when Kagome went to talk to her mother too. Oh! I almost forgot. Kagome was brought me a backpack with some supplies from our time that might be useful. She gave it to me this morning."

"That was kind of her. Come. We have lingered too long already."

Vanessa tied her new backpack and her dress behind the saddle and climbed onto Ah-Un's back after a quick scratch under each chin, while Rin scrambled to a seat in front of her. Jerkily, the dragon rose to his feet and followed after Sesshoumaru. He was in no real hurry to return to his palace; he was, after all, on a vacation of sorts, and he intended to enjoy what time remained. So they walked.

An hour or more passed when Sesshoumaru began to feel Vanessa's curiosity. He ignored her and walked beside Ah-Un's right head. She was probably wondering about where they were going or what they would do when they got there. So Sesshoumaru continued scanning the surrounding forest for danger. When her curiosity turned to amusement, he grew curious himself and slid his eyes to give her a sidelong glance. Golden eyes widened minutely in surprise to find that he was the object of her focus. She stared at him, watching with a strange smile. Sesshoumaru turned his eyes back to the front and spoke, low and even, "Do you find this Sesshoumaru so amusing?"

"What? No! I mean, I was just thinking…" she trailed off, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare. It's just…"

Sesshoumaru dropped back so that he was even with Vanessa. "Go on." She turned away, blushing in embarrassment and began to idly play with Rin's hair. _Curious. She was only watching, yet seems particularly embarrassed._ Normally he wouldn't care, but for some reason, this woman piqued his curiosity. _I probably do not want to know… _"Speak your mind." Vanessa looked over at Sesshoumaru and smiled almost sheepishly.

"I was just thinking about how you reminded me of someone back home just now." He regarded her with a raised eyebrow.

"Indeed." Then she grinned.

"Forget I said anything." Now Sesshoumaru's curiosity threatened to get the better of him. They continued in silence for a time until his curiosity finally won out.

"Who?"

"Hm?" Vanessa turned and Sesshoumaru caught her eye and held her gaze. _Why am I bothering with this human?_

"Of whom are you reminded by this Sesshoumaru?" Vanessa laughed nervously.

"You're going to make me tell you, aren't you?"

"Perhaps."

"Ok, well…" she hesitated, "It's not so much you as it is your actions."

"Actions."

"Yes. I was watching you, as you… ah… found out and I began to notice little things."

"Continue." Sesshoumaru continued to hold her under his gaze, amused by her nervousness, though he didn't show it. Vanessa took a few breaths before beginning again.

"You're not that easy to talk to, you know that?" He very nearly smirked at that.

"Indeed."

"Fine. While I was watching you I noticed you sniffing the air – nothing more than a flare of your nostrils, really. And every now and then when something out there," she made a vague gesture with her hand, "made a noise, your ears twitched a little."

"And?"

"And… Ok, please don't take this the wrong way, but… it made me think of the puppy I bought a few years ago, Max." She winced, waiting for his reaction and Sesshoumaru stared at her, aware of, but ignoring, the sadness that filtered through their connection when she mentioned the animal. _She dared… _And yet, in a way she was right. He almost laughed. Humor danced in his eyes for an instant before he responded, cool and calm as ever.

"Do you know what I am?" Vanessa seemed surprised by the question.

"Sort of. I mean, Kagome told me that you are a youkai and not human, and that you rule the western lands. Beyond that though, I guess not."

Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to the path before him, letting silence reign over them. _What does she need to know?_ He had never encountered anyone who knew nothing of youkai and didn't know how she would react. _She must know what to expect when we reach the palace. Rin died at the claws of youkai… Naturally she would know the dangers. Vanessa is different…_ "What do you know of youkai?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"Honestly? Nothing. I guess you could say that you are the stuff of myth and legend in my time." Sesshoumaru was silent for another long moment before beginning again.

"Youkai vary in type. Many hanyous and youkai have a human-like form such as I do, though full youkai have key differences such as markings or pointed ears." Sesshoumaru paused, uncomfortable playing the roll of teacher, and glanced over at Vanessa, but she seemed to be listening with rapt attention so he continued, "Others have animal-like forms such as the bull that you encountered before our first meeting." Vanessa shuddered and nodded for him to continue. "Only strong and pure bloodlines can take both forms."

"I see," she thought for a moment, "So, if you don't mind my asking, what is your other form?" He raised an eyebrow at her. _Empty flattery? Or is she more perceptive than other humans?_ She seemed genuine, so he asked, "What makes you think that this Sesshoumaru can take another form?" She smiled.

"Your presence alone exudes strength in a way that suggests that you were born into it. Also, I would assume that you are very powerful if you can take time off like this and still be secure in your rule. And Kagome said that you see Inuyasha as a taint on your bloodline. Why think that unless your line was pure before he was born?" Sesshoumaru bristled at the mention of his half-brother's name, but held his composure.

"Very astute of you. In answer to your question, my true form is that of a great white dog." He turned to gauge her reaction, but she only looked thoughtful.

"That would explain it then." In response to his questioning look, she continued, "I take it that you can use your dog senses even in your current form?" He nodded. "That would also explain why you didn't seem overly offended when I likened you to a dog." Vanessa was quiet for a moment and Sesshoumaru could smell the salty tang of her unshed tears. "My Max is a fluffy white dog," she said softly. He couldn't explain why, but he didn't want her to be sad. It was strange how she affected him, made him feel protective – even more so than Rin.

"Why are you saddened to speak of him?"

"What?" Vanessa looked up, distracted from thoughts of her dog. "Oh, I guess I don't know when I'll see him again. I haven't left him alone for more than a week since I got him, and I don't think I'll be getting home any time soon. He won't know where I've gone. He'll think I've abandoned him." She gasped. "I hope they don't give him to a shelter when I don't come home for a while!" _A 'shelter'? It doesn't sound like a terrible place. What could have her so upset?_

"A shelter?"

"It's a place that takes unwanted animals and if they haven't found new homes after a certain amount of time, they… they're destroyed," she finished softly, a tear making its way down her cheek.

At this point, Rin, who had been unusually quiet throughout the morning, spoke up, "Sesshoumaru-sama? Why is Vanessa-sama crying?" Sesshoumaru's gaze shifted to the child.

"She misses a friend." _Sentimental human._ He did find it strange though, that she left one white dog behind and found another in this time. While his thoughts wandered, Rin twisted around and stood, easily balancing on Ah-Un's swaying back, to wrap her tiny arms around Vanessa's neck.

"Nessa-neesan, don't cry. You'll see your friends again. Until then you have Rin and Sesshoumaru-sama." Sesshoumaru knew that Vanessa could not understand her words, but his heart warmed a fraction as he watched Rin giving her the comfort that he could not. He was glad to see her give a genuine smile and hug the girl tight, making the child giggle. Turning his eyes away from the pair of females, he noticed that the sun was already high in the sky.

"Humans require food more often than youkai. We will stop for a short while and you and Rin may have something to eat."

"That would be great! Thank you. And… I'm sorry for losing it just now. I don't know what came over me," Vanessa said, frantically wiping her face.

"You have had a trying few days. It is natural for a human to miss a friend."

"I suppose so. Do you ever miss your friends when you're away like this?"

"This Sesshoumaru has no friends to miss."  
"No friends!"

Sesshoumaru blinked. "You are surprised."

"Of course I am! You have no one to talk to? No one to care what happens to you?"

"This Sesshoumaru needs nothing of the sort." Vanessa still looked at him incredulously, so he amended, "In a position such as I hold, it is… difficult and often unwise to keep friends." Then she looked at him in that peculiar way of hers. It really was rather unsettling, as though she were searching for something deep within his core.

"Can we be friends?" she asked suddenly. Sesshoumaru was taken aback.

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"You would be in constant danger. Others would seek to use you against this Sesshoumaru. It is inadvisable." _You are human, you don't even belong in this time, what more reason is there?_

"But you would protect me, wouldn't you? If we were friends?" He stared at her. _Have you someone to protect? _He could hear his father's words as clearly as the day they were spoken.

"If we were friends, yes."

"I see. You don't trust easily, do you?"

"I do not."

"Do you think you'll come trust me enough to call me friend?"

"We shall see." _Yes. I do not know why, but yes._ "We will stop here. Rin will show you what you can eat." Vanessa said nothing more on the matter and Sesshoumaru was glad that the woman knew when to let a subject drop. He led them to a small stream and knew there would be fish in the clear water and other vegetation that Rin liked that grew nearby so he settled himself beside Ah-Un and waited.

VvVvVvVvV

Vanessa followed Rin to the stream to set up a few lines to catch fish and then to some bushes that held some tasty-looking fruit. She was intrigued by how the small girl knew so well how to care for herself in the wild. Even when Vanessa went on camping trips, they had always brought along their own food and supplies. She had never been truly "roughing it." While she gathered the fruits that Rin showed her, Vanessa thought back to her previous conversation with Sesshoumaru. He had talked far more than she thought he would. _That will probably change once we get to the palace… He'll be so busy. Well. I'll just have to get as much out of him now as I can._ Once she had a sizeable pile of fruit, Vanessa made her way back to Rin and Sesshoumaru. Already there were a few fish, cleaned and run through with sticks to roast over a small fire. She was impressed with the efficiency of the girl, but suspected that his waiting for her that morning was a fluke of sorts. If she had been walking rather than riding Ah-Un, she would have also noticed the fast pace he set through the woods.

The humans ate their meal quickly while Sesshoumaru kept watch, and Ah-Un took the opportunity to graze a bit himself. Vanessa watched the dragon eat, curious that he was a grazer and not a carnivore. _Must be convenient having two heads to fill one stomach._ Once everyone who wanted or needed to had eaten, Rin and Vanessa scrambled onto Ah-Un's back and set off once again to the west.

Rin had gathered an armload of flowers and was happily weaving them into chains and crowns. That left Vanessa to fill the silence… or at least try to. She wondered if the taiyoukai would be as forthcoming as he had been before lunch. _Worth a shot…_ "Sesshoumaru?"

"Hn," came his noncommittal response. Though he remained facing forward, she knew he was listening.

"Will you tell me more?"

"What do you wish to hear?" _Alright, start slow and see how far he'll go._

"I'd like to know more about how youkai are different from humans." This time he turned to her and gave her a penetrating stare, before turning back to the front. She didn't think he was going to answer, but finally his smooth baritone reached her.

"Similarities end with the few physical features that might be shared by both. Senses are keener in youkai, some even more so depending on the animal characteristics in the blood."

"Really?" It was fascinating how similar he looked to a human but was really so different.

"For example, inuyoukai such as this Sesshoumaru and, to a lesser extent, Inuyasha have exceptional hearing and sense of smell. Others, such as eagles…" He grew quiet for a moment, lost in thought then straightened and continued as though he hadn't paused, "Eagles have exceptional eyesight." _What was that about? … Now is probably not the best time though. Alright… subject change._

"What else besides senses?" She could see his shoulders relax just a bit. _He thought I was going to ask about that… Did I just score a few points?_

"Youkai are almost always physically stronger than humans. We can run faster, leap higher, and carry more weight than humans."

"Wow, how much?"

Vanessa blinked and the next thing she knew Sesshoumaru was gone, but before she could even look for him she heard his voice again from her other side, causing her to jump. "Humans, compared to youkai, are weaker than an infant compared to an adult."

"H-how did you…" she stuttered, then grinned, "You were showing off!" Sesshoumaru regarded her with a raised eyebrow before attempting to defend himself.

"This Sesshoumaru was merely demonstrating the superior speed of a youkai." Vanessa just shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Right. So, what else?"  
"Most have the ability to heal themselves. An injury that would take a human weeks from which to recover could be healed in a matter of days."

"I hope I don't have to witness that particular trait."  
"Indeed."

"Anything else?"

"A youkai, even a hanyou like my half-brother, will live much longer than a human."

"How much longer?" Vanessa expected him to say something like twice as long or some such number. She was completely surprised by his answer.

"Indefinitely."

"What?"

"If a youkai remains healthy and does not die in battle, it may live to be thousands of years old."

"Wow…" What else could she say to that?

"Inuyasha is more than two hundred years old." _Two hundred? He doesn't look more than seventeen._

"And how… how old are you?" she asked, then hastily added, "If you don't mind my asking." Would he be offended by her asking his age?

"Probably more than five centuries," he replied casually, "Birthdays mean little when one's life is so long."

"Five hundred years…" Vanessa could only stare in awe at the man beside her. "You don't look a day over twenty-five."

"Our aging process slows. It will take many more centuries before this Sesshoumaru appears as a middle-aged human would."

"I never knew... Thank you for telling me, Sesshoumaru."

"As you will be surrounded by youkai when we reach my home, it is important that you understand that they are not like humans. Some may not hesitate to threaten you for the simple fact that you are human." Vanessa paled and stared back at Sesshoumaru. _Exactly what have I gotten myself into?_ Sesshoumaru, however, seemed to sense her anxiety and turned. "You need not fear. It will be made clear that you are under my protection for the duration of your stay." Vanessa shook herself, taking in what he had just said and turned a sly smile on him.

"So, you_ are_ going to protect me." Sesshoumaru seemed to decide that her statement was not worthy of a verbal response and merely raised an elegantly arched eyebrow before turning back to the path before them. He either did not notice, or was ignoring the broad grin gracing Vanessa's features. _Ah-ha! He is capable of a semblance of friendship… or at least a duty to protect those weaker than he is. …We'll call it friendship._

The next few hours passed in relative silence – the occasional interruption from Rin asking Sesshoumaru a question or singing a song - and before long, the afternoon turned to evening and Sesshoumaru announced that they would be making camp in a nearby clearing. He left them momentarily and returned with a small deer, which he cleaned himself and prepared for roasting over a fire that Rin built. Vanessa assumed by the amount of meat the kill would supply that Sesshoumaru might actually be joining them in the meal. Sure enough, while the meat was still rather more rare than Vanessa preferred, Sesshoumaru neatly sliced off a portion of the haunch for himself. He set it away from the flames to wait for Rin and Vanessa's meal to finish. Vanessa watched in amusement until she couldn't contain herself any longer. "So you do eat," she stated, trying to sound casual.

"Of course. This Sesshoumaru prefers meat to be rather… fresher than appeals to human taste."

"I see. Well, I'm glad you're sharing a meal with us anyway. It's more companionable this way."

When the meat was finished to the taste of the humans, Sesshoumaru sliced a portion each for Rin and Vanessa with his claws. Without the use of proper utensils, the three munched on their meals held in their hands. Afterward, they cleaned up in a stream and pulled out the blankets for Rin and Vanessa's beds. Sesshoumaru took a seat on the forest floor and leaned back against a rock while Vanessa untied her backpack from Ah-Un. The taiyoukai raised an eyebrow in question and Vanessa explained that she wanted to change into more comfortable clothing for bed. She ducked behind some bushes and untied her kimono, folding it neatly in preparation for tomorrow's use, before donning the new sweats and t-shirt that Kagome had given her that morning. Just as she predicted, they fit perfectly and were very comfortable. She stepped back into the clearing carrying her discarded clothing and saw Rin curled up beside her Sesshoumaru-sama. Vanessa couldn't help but to smile. Sesshoumaru turned his gaze on her as she approached and regarded her new clothing with something akin to curiosity in his eyes, but said nothing. _I suppose he hasn't seen clothes like this before. It seems that Kagome almost always wears her school uniform… Does he think everyone in my time dresses like that?_

Vanessa sat opposite Sesshoumaru, her back to the fire. She wasn't quite sleepy yet and thought she might coax some more conversation out of the demon lord before she succumbed to slumber. But where to start? He had been kind enough to answer her questions about youkai. Maybe he has questions of his own? "Sesshoumaru?" she asked, careful not to speak so loud as to wake Rin. He turned his golden gaze on her and raised an eyebrow in response. "I was just thinking. You told me a lot about yourself today, well, your kind anyway. Is there anything you want to know about me? Or my time maybe?" She could almost feel his curiosity, but his face remained impassive. While waiting for his response, Vanessa began to idly spin her engagement ring around her finger and saw Sesshoumaru's eyes flick down to it briefly. She was about to move over to her bedroll when he spoke.

"Perhaps tomorrow I will ask my questions. You should get some rest. We leave at dawn." _Did he like our conversations earlier? I guess I can wait._ Vanessa nodded and crawled to the blankets spread out beside Rin. She was about to remove her ribbon bracelet when Sesshoumaru spoke again, surprising her. "Don't."

"What?"

"The wilderness is more dangerous than the miko's village. Should I need to wake you, it would be best if you did not awaken confused. Keep the band on from now on while we journey."

"Are you sure?" He nodded. "Alright then. Good night." Vanessa said, smiling softly as she laid her head down, using her arm as a pillow. _This is so much different than that first night. I feel safe and comfortable with him watching over me. My guardian angel…_ The small smile stayed on Vanessa's lips as she drifted off to sleep.

Violet eyes snapped open as Vanessa woke with a start, momentarily disoriented. _What was that?_ Slowly the fog cleared from her mind and she took in her surroundings. It was still dark without even the barest hint of twilight. She must have only been asleep for a few hours. Something woke her, but what? She sat up and glanced around, her eyes finding and staying on Sesshoumaru's pale form. He was gazing off into the distance with an expression as close to anger as she had yet seen on his face. _He must have heard it too, but what - _Then she heard it. A wolf's howl. _Why would he be so angered by a wolf?_ It didn't sound very close, but Vanessa wasn't a very good judge of such things. Soon, another answered it, but that one seemed even farther than the first. At the second – no, third – howl, Vanessa heard a soft whimpering beside her and watched as Sesshoumaru instinctively placed a protecting hand on Rin's shoulder. He never took his gaze from the direction of the wolves. However, even under Sesshoumaru's protective hand, Rin did not quiet. Whatever plagued her sleep seemed to grow worse. Sesshoumaru finally looked down at the girl, seemingly unsure of what to do. _He seems so… helpless._ The word definitely did not fit Sesshoumaru, maybe… lost. Vanessa's barely awakened maternal instincts kicked in and she knew that she had to step in to comfort the child.

Vanessa moved slowly to sit behind the curled up form of the girl. She didn't want to seem in any way threatening to the girl when it seemed that Sesshoumaru was already on high alert. When she took his big hand in both of her own, he turned his narrowed eyes on her, barely suppressing a growl. But Vanessa did not allow herself to be frightened and said gently, "Let me try." Rin began muttering in her sleep, her tears coming faster, and Sesshoumaru nodded, pulling his hand away from hers. Vanessa pulled Rin into her lap and wrapped her arms about her, holding the child's head against her chest as she gently rocked, hushing and speaking comforting nonsense. Soon she found herself humming a song from her childhood, and after a short while, Rin had quieted and was now sleeping peacefully in her lap, tiny arms snaking around her waist. When she looked up, Vanessa was surprised to find Sesshoumaru staring at her, a strange softness in his eyes. He just gazed at her for a long while before speaking softly; she almost didn't hear him. "Where did you learn to do that?" Vanessa looked down at the sleeping girl, brushing a few stray hairs away from her face.

"I didn't really learn anything. I have younger sisters back home, so I guess I've just had my fair share of easing away their nightmares while my parents were away." She looked down on the sleeping girl clinging to her again and chuckled softly. "I don't think I'm going to be able lay back down any time soon. Mind if I share that rock with you?" He nodded and moved away slightly, while Vanessa set about scooting close enough to prop herself up without jostling Rin too much.

It wasn't the most comfortable of sleeping positions, but Vanessa didn't mind. She could deal with a little stiffness for one day if she could ease Rin's fears. Sleep didn't come quickly, though. The question kept gnawing at the corners of her mind, finally she couldn't take it anymore. "Sesshoumaru?" she probed softly.

"Hm?" He almost sounded sleepy and Vanessa would have giggled if she didn't want him to answer her question.

"May I ask what happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"About the wolves… I'm guessing that was what caused Rin's nightmare and you actually _looked_ angry. From what I gather, that doesn't happen very often." He glanced at her and looked away, back in the direction they had last heard the now-silent wolves. He was quiet for so long that Vanessa thought he might not answer. She wouldn't push. But then he spoke.

"Before Rin came to travel with this Sesshoumaru, she was attacked by a pack of wolves. I… saved her and she has followed ever since." Vanessa could tell that he wasn't telling her everything, but it was enough. The attack would explain the nightmare, and she unconsciously pulled Rin closer to her. Sesshoumaru noticed and commented, "You are good with children." _A compliment?_ His next question, however, almost made her laugh. "Do you have a family of your own where you are from?" She actually snorted trying to contain her laugh.

"Oh no. Not yet. I'm not even… married." She glanced briefly down at the ring on her finger.

"Why? You are of marriageable age, are you not?" Vanessa stared at the taiyoukai for a moment, her jaw slack, before snapping back to reality.

"Well… I guess you could say that things have changed over the past five hundred – or… will change in the next five hundred years… whatever. The point is, generally people wait longer before getting married and starting families. Most wait until after college."

"College?"

"Right, college is a place where men and women learn special skills so that they can get a good job and earn a decent living. Not everyone goes to college, but those who do are usually too busy with their studies to even think about starting a family. Some fields of study take longer than others too. Some graduate and are ready to get a job by the time they are twenty while others aren't finished until several years later. I trained to be a doctor, so I had four years of pre-med then another four years of med school. Actually I was going to start my fourth year of medical school in the fall." Sesshoumaru stared at her, his confusion evident in his eyes.

"I will admit that I did not understand half of what you said." This time Vanessa did laugh softly and leaned over to whisper conspiratorially.

"That's alright, I won't tell. Just think of it as a lot of studying to become a healer."

"I see." The pair fell into a companionable silence and Vanessa felt her eyelids begin to droop as sleep overtook her once again.

Vanessa was startled into wakefulness, though she refused to open her eyes. Something was tickling her nose. _What the…?_ She scrunched up her nose, trying to persuade the offensive tickler to move on, but to no avail. If her arms weren't still full of Rin, she would have swatted it away. Instead, she tried blowing. That didn't work either. Then her "pillow" shifted. That got her attention. _Uh-oh…_ Vanessa snapped her eyes open and pushed away nearly tumbling poor Rin from her lap. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to –" She stopped when she saw a hint of amusement in Sesshoumaru's eyes, then discovered just what had been tickling her nose. It was none other than the furry pelt that he wore. His voice was cool and calm, belying the amusement still dancing in his eyes.

"You seem to have made a habit of falling asleep on my person." Vanessa blushed in embarrassment. _He _was_ pretty comfortable… No! Bad. Um…_

"Really, I didn't mean to, I -"

"You may be forgiven," he said, raising an eyebrow at her, "so long as you did not drool."

"I don't think I did… Hey!" Was he teasing her? She supposed he sort of had the right, seeing as she did use him as a pillow… Well, who would have thought the great Lord Sesshoumaru had a sense of humor? Vanessa shook her head and went to find some wood to rebuild the fire. Afterward she would grab her new toiletries and take a cold bath in the stream. _Well… It's better than nothing._

A/N: And so ends another chapter of _Into the East._ What do you think?


	8. Dream a Little Dream

A/N: The "song from her childhood" that Vanessa was humming to Rin in the last chapter was _Hushabye Mountain_ from _Chitty Chitty Bang Bang_. I love that song, anyway, just to give you an idea.

Into the East

Chapter eight: Dream a Little Dream

Posted: 26 July 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else is mine

Sesshoumaru watched as Vanessa left with Rin to take a bath in the stream. She had finally been able to convince the girl – through him – that a bath really wasn't so bad. Must all children be so averse to bathing? According to Vanessa, it was just like going for a swim. The woman was certainly cleaner than most humans, and youkai for matter, that he had encountered, and for that his sensitive nose was grateful. The soaps she had used during her stay in the miko's village were pleasant-smelling and thankfully, not overly potent; he assumed the new selection would be similar.

The females' bath time was a welcome reprieve from the constant presence of his companions. Sesshoumaru did not mind that they traveled with him; he would not have allowed it otherwise. However, it was easier to lose himself in his thoughts when they weren't so near. They seemed to have a mutual, unspoken demand for his attention. He would wait for them within hearing distance, but until they returned, Sesshoumaru took the moment of solitude to ponder the previous night's events. Vanessa had struck a strange chord with him. It was hauntingly familiar and yet he found his own upbringing strangely lacking in such an experience. She seemed to know precisely what was needed at that moment to calm Rin. Had he himself had any fears, he was certain that they would have melted away in the strange melody that flowed from the woman. Perhaps that was the reason that he had dropped his defenses enough to crack a single joke with her earlier that morning, and he had actually held a conversation with her the night before. Other than that meager explanation, he had no idea what had come over him. Still, he was impressed that she could calm Rin so easily. It was not the first time that the child had had a nightmare. In his admittedly limited experience with children, all Sesshoumaru could do to remedy the situation was to gently try and wake her, displaying the rare tenderness of which only Rin knew he was capable and allowing her to cling to him as the last remnants of the nightmare slipped away. But Vanessa didn't even have to wake her. He had watched with cautious fascination as the woman pulled the sleeping girl into her lap, rocking gently and crooning soothing nonsense. Then she started humming that strange song. It was unlike any lullaby he had ever heard. _How did she know just what to do?_

The only natural explanation for Vanessa's ease in comforting Rin was that she must have left a family behind, and after what he felt from her toward a stranger's child, he could not even fathom the depth of her love for her own children. Sesshoumaru had never known his own mother; she died at his birth and his father had rarely spoken of her. Had the Inu no Taisho not had lands and an heir to care for, he likely would have followed her to the grave as his youki and mating bond must have been begging him to do. Instead, Sesshoumaru grew up under the care of nurses and nannies. They cared for him, as was their duty, kept him out of trouble, taught him, but none had ever loved him as their own; they had their own families so Sesshoumaru never felt the true power of a mother's love – not until he felt what he did through his connection to Vanessa. But Vanessa did not have children – she was not even married. _Intriguing._ Perhaps it was some instinct among women to know how to care for children.

Sesshoumaru was brought out of his reverie by the silence; he had not heard the usual splashing of the humans' bathing in quite some time. _What could they be doing?_ He decided that they had been gone quite long enough and rose smoothly to investigate, setting off in the direction of the stream. As he drew nearer, he heard the occasional giggle from one or both of them and grew curious. He approached silently, content for the moment to simply observe.

Thankfully Rin and Vanessa were already clothed and were lying on a rock with their hair splayed out behind them to dry in the sun. They seemed to be picking shapes out of the clouds. Every now and then one of them would point and then pantomime what she saw, producing giggles from both parties as they tried to repeat the other's word for the object. The scene really was quite amusing, and Sesshoumaru wondered how long he should let them go at their little game before making his presence known.

After a few minutes more, Sesshoumaru decided that it was time to be on their way and approached silently to cast his shadow over them. Both Rin and Vanessa grinned up at him as they squinted against the sun at his silhouette. "Come. It is time we left," he commanded before turning back to the camp. Vanessa took the time only to shake her curls into some semblance of order and to tie Rin's hair into her usual lop-sided ponytail before following the taiyoukai back to the camp. They ate a fast breakfast of leftover meat from last night's meal and quickly loaded up Ah-Un. Vanessa helped Rin onto his back and turned to Sesshoumaru, "I'd like to walk for a while, if that's okay." He gave her a penetrating look before responding.

"If you can keep up, I see no problem."

"Great! Let's go!" she said cheerfully, as she slipped on her new sandals.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru certainly kept to a brisk pace, but Vanessa had little trouble keeping up. She couldn't have known that he had shortened his strides considerably for her. After nearly a quarter hour, she decided to break the silence. "Just out of curiosity, how far is it to where you live?" Sesshoumaru slowed a bit and turned to her.

"We could be there in two more day's travel. However, it is my wish to spend more time abroad before returning."

"Ah," Vanessa replied, giving Sesshoumaru a knowing smile. "I suppose even a great demon lord needs some time off." He merely quirked an eyebrow at her – Vanessa thought she was beginning to figure out the multitude of meanings that this one gesture might imply. This one seemed to fall under the 'confusion' category.

"Time off?" he asked. She was right.

"Yeah, time off… a break from duties, a vacation, time to relax before diving headfirst into your work again. I think the term has something to do with the time clock… 'Time off the clock…' something like that." This time she managed to confuse him to the point that his brow furrowed in his effort to sort through her strange vocabulary.

"Explain this 'time clock'."

Vanessa wasn't sure what sort of timepieces were available during this time period, so she had to think for a moment to find a way to explain the device in the simplest manner possible. "A time clock is a way of measuring how many hours a person has worked. Workers who are paid by the hour put a paper card into the machine and it stamps the time of day on it. It has to be stamped again before and after lunch breaks and at the end of the day so that the person gets the right amount of money from their employer. Does that make any sense at all?"

"A bit. What sorts of workers make use of this 'time clock'?"

"All sorts… factory workers, restaurant workers, retail…"

"Factory? Retail? You make no sense."

"Right, I guess those haven't exactly been created yet. A factory is a big building in which a lot of different types of objects are made. Usually they have big machines that do a lot of the work. And retail… is a store that buys products from the people that make them and then sell them again for profit."

"I see." Sesshoumaru was quiet for a time and Vanessa took it to mean that he was trying to sort out everything that he had just learned. She wondered if any of it made sense at all to one who was five hundred years away from experiencing anything she was trying to explain. The silence dragged on as the travelers trekked through the wilderness. They hadn't used very many roads and to Vanessa, the paths they followed were lightly used trails at best. Even so, Sesshoumaru seemed to know exactly where he was going; he didn't seem the type to easily become lost, especially when they were so relatively close to his home.

Finally, he turned to her again. "Tell me," he began, "if what Kagome said is true and your nation even now has not been formed, how is it that it has grown so powerful in your time that young ones as far away as Japan learn your language?" It took a moment for Vanessa to figure out exactly how to explain American history in the simplest terms possible. _Where to start…_

"Well, actually it won't be an official country for almost three hundred years from now. The continent is only now being discovered and settled."

"From where did the settlers originate?"

"Most came from Europe. On the other side of your mainland across the sea to the west is a whole other empire. Some decided that it wasn't enough and wanted to conquer more lands, others wanted freedom so they sailed across the ocean. In any case, colonies were developed, the most prominent being thirteen settled under the king of a country called Great Britain. After nearly two hundred years the settlers decided that they didn't want to be ruled by a king across the ocean. They wanted to form their own government and told the king that they would have their independence one way or another. There was a war that lasted about eight years and in the end the settlers won their independence and called their new country the United States of America. Following so far?" Sesshoumaru nodded.

"How did this king expect to control a land from so far away? It seems poor practice to try and govern a land without having a direct tie to it. However, if these settlers were strong enough to rise up against him to such a degree, then he did not deserve to hold that rule." Vanessa smiled, starting to get an idea of the way Sesshoumaru ruled his own lands.

"That's what the revolutionaries thought. You see the king had sent his armies to govern the land in his stead. The colonies had only their own militiamen and other volunteers at their disposal while the British loyalists fought alongside trained and war-hardened soldiers. Eventually they ended up getting some help from other nations in Europe, but until then they had to work at building a unified army. The general of this army actually later became the first president, the leader of the new country."

"As well he should after leading untrained troops to victory."

"He wouldn't become another monarch like the king they fought against, though. From then until the time I left before finding myself here, the president has been a leader who answers to the people. He can't do anything without the approval of the representatives of each state, but at the same time, he has the power to turn down a proposal by those same representatives."

"That seems a strange way to rule."

Vanessa shrugged. "It's worked for over two hundred years now. The system was set up so that no one person would have absolute power again. As time went on the original thirteen colonies expanded until finally the country stretched from coast to coast across the continent. I wish I had a map to show you. Anyway, in the end the thirteen colonies grew to fifty states, each one having a voice in the government. I think the desire and passion for freedom is what has brought my country to become one of the world's superpowers. Other cultures don't agree with everything that my country does and battles have been fought, but still it commands a certain respect."

Sesshoumaru made a non-committal noise in the back of his throat. Vanessa could tell that he still struggled with some of the concepts that defined her country, and it was only to be expected in a command and conquer time period. She was glad that he showed an interest, though. She had been afraid that he might not be interested in anything she had to say, but of course, as a leader himself, he would want to know how other lands had succeeded. "You seem to know a great deal about your nation's history," he stated. She blushed slightly at the compliment.

"History has always been interesting to me, especially war times. I think the greatest changes and most defining moments have come during conflict."

"Indeed."

Sesshoumaru didn't ask any more questions after that and Vanessa let him process all that she had told him. During their conversation, however, the sun had risen high and before long it was time to stop for lunch. There was still some deer meat left over from the night before so Vanessa and Rin made a cold meal out of the remainder of that and some berries that Rin had collected.

After they had cleaned up and set off again Vanessa approached Sesshoumaru. "I've been thinking," she started, "about what I could do to repay your kindness." Sesshoumaru glanced down at her, his face devoid of any emotion.

"There is no need," he said.

"Still, I want to do something. I was just thinking that it probably won't be too much longer now before the British visit Japan, and even if you don't care about that, it might be useful in the future to know English. I could teach you. Rin could help. It would give her something to do. If nothing else, it could help me learn Japanese." He seemed to be considering it.

"We understand one another already, how do you propose to accomplish this?"

"I was thinking that Rin could act as a sort of middleman. She can repeat my words in English and yours in Japanese, that way we all know the meaning behind the words."

"It is possible." He turned and asked Rin if she would like to help and the child was only too eager so he explained that all she had to do was repeat what she heard either of them say.

Rin took to her new job eagerly and enthusiastically, and for the rest of the afternoon until they stopped for the night the three travelers traded words and simple phrases back and forth between the two languages. She seemed happy to finally be able to interact with both of the adults and Vanessa was eager to finally be able to talk to the girl, of only a little bit at first. Once they stopped for the night, Vanessa had a fair collection of phrases that she had mastered. She hoped that by the time they reached Sesshoumaru's palace, she would be able to at least get by on what she had learned.

Once again, Sesshoumaru caught and prepared their meal and afterward, Vanessa curled up next to Rin, exhausted from walking all day. _Now we're getting somewhere_, were her last thoughts before sleep overtook her.

VvVvVvVvV

_An interesting day, _Sesshoumaru thought as he watched the females falling into slumber. He had felt rather foolish parroting Rin and Vanessa, though what Vanessa said rang true. If her land would become an important player in the world, then it would only be to his benefit to learn the language.

Feeling a bit restless, the taiyoukai rose, taking up Tokijin, and walked a short distance from the sleeping humans. He had not had a good fight in a long while and having restrained himself from fighting with Inuyasha, he had a great deal of pent up energy. There were no suitable sparring partners with whom he could practice so instead, Sesshoumaru ran through exercises that had been engrained into his routine, defeating imaginary enemies to his heart's content. Sesshoumaru began slowly, letting his muscles warm up so as not to strain them and gradually progressed into more complicated moves. Sesshoumaru could feel Tokijin's power begging to be released, and even after all the time he'd had the sword, he still had to consciously keep its evil in check; this nighttime practice session was as much a mental exercise as it was physical.

Nearly an hour and a half passed and Sesshoumaru's skin glistened with perspiration. He felt the beginnings of a satisfying burning sensation in his muscles that came only after one had completed a good workout, but the exercise was hardly enough to wind the taiyoukai. After a particularly complicated move involving a series of leaps and spins, ending in an impressive downward strike, Sesshoumaru stopped short – he had heard a sound to his left that didn't belong in the still night. Giving no other indication that he was aware of the other's presence, Sesshoumaru stood still, listening and scenting the air. When the intruder was identified, he mentally smirked. If she thought Sesshoumaru was 'showing off' after a mere demonstration of a youkai's superior speed, it would be best if she did not know that her presence has been discovered, or surely he would once again be unjustly accused of such a boastful display

Sesshoumaru swung Tokijin a few times to release the tension that had come with discovering he was not alone. Now that he was aware of his audience, however, he felt his need for exercise quickly dissipating. He continued for a few minutes more, effectively cooling down before stripping off his armor so that he could stretch. Once he was satisfied that he would not be awakened by cramped limbs, Sesshoumaru secured Tokijin in his sash and gathered his discarded armor. Vanessa's scent was still strong, suggesting that she had not left yet. _Curious._ Sesshoumaru began slowly walking in her direction – toward the camp – to see if she would run back to her bed or wait and meet him, admitting that she had been watching.

As he suspected, Vanessa scurried back to the camp like a child caught out of bed. He almost laughed; his human companions really were very much alike. Sesshoumaru continued his slow, deliberate pace, allowing Vanessa time to return to her blankets and steady her breathing. What use would it be to embarrass the woman for her curiosity? _What was it that she had wanted to see? _Finally, he stepped into the dim circle of firelight and deposited his armor beside Ah-Un then turned to the 'sleeping' pair beside the fire. Vanessa was awake; he could smell her nervousness. Rather than comment, he walked past her toward the opposite edge of their camp. As he reached the trees, he heard fabric shift behind him. He paused. "Where are you going?" At Vanessa's convincingly groggy voice, Sesshoumaru looked over his shoulder. _She has had practice._

"I am going to bathe."

"Oh."

"There is a hot spring nearby. Go back to sleep, I will show you in the morning."

Sesshoumaru waited until Vanessa resettled herself and her breathing evened in true sleep before continuing to the spring; bathing was one activity for which he most certainly did not appreciate an audience. As he approached the hot spring, he reached out with his senses to determine if he should be expecting any intruders, human or otherwise. Finding none, he quickly removed his clothing, folded it into a neat pile, and laying Tokijin on top, stepped into the hot water. With a sigh, Sesshoumaru sank down until the water covered his shoulders, his long hair swirling about him in the slight current. He leaned his head against the natural outcropping of rock and closed his eyes, letting the heat relax away the tension. It wasn't quite the same as his own bathhouse, but it would do. After soaking for a while, Sesshoumaru ducked his head under the water and scrubbed his scalp until he felt that the sweat and road grime had been sufficiently removed then resurfaced, absently running his claws through the silver strands to remove any major tangles. Sesshoumaru had always liked a good bath, hot cleansing water to relax weary muscles, undisturbed time to simply exist. The only disturbances he had now were the thoughts that plagued his consciousness.

_What makes this one woman special? Surely, she traveled through time and space and that deserves some merit, but how is it that I feel she can see into my very soul? What might the consequences be if I continue to let her in?_ He knew the answer to that better than he would have liked. He knew that the simple fact that she was human would cause innumerable problems among the other youkai, but he wanted her to remain – if only to solve the puzzle that surrounded her. She had offered him her hand in friendship, no questions asked. As far as he knew, she expected nothing in return save his friendship, but how could he trust in something so simple when he trusted no one else, Rin and Jaken not withstanding? Rin was a child, his ward, and Jaken a groveling, cringing servant, too loyal for his own good. Neither could be considered true friends. So why should he cast off his barriers in the off chance that this human woman truly desired only his friendship? Because he wished to? Because he somehow knew, deep down, that he needed her? On more than one occasion he had nearly let his mask slip away for her. _Why?_

Sesshoumaru left the question unanswered when he noticed that the water had sufficiently wrinkled his fingertips and he rose from its warmth. He pulled his wet, heavy hair over one shoulder and squeezed the water out while the rest of him dried in the cool night breeze. The hot water evaporated quickly from his skin and he re-dressed before walking back to the camp. Once again within the dim circle of firelight, Sesshoumaru glanced down at the huddled forms by the fire – the two humans that have wormed their way into his life. Vanessa had turned in her sleep and wrapped Rin protectively in her arms and Rin had her tiny fists tucked under her chin. Sesshoumaru spared them a second glance and then moved to his place on the opposite side. Before he sat, however, he added another log to the fire so it wouldn't die in what remained of the night. He settled himself and fell into a light sleep to the sounds of the humans' breathing and Ah-Un's rumbling snores.

VvVvVvVvV

Vanessa woke and gave a languorous stretch. When she finally opened her eyes, she noticed that the sun had already risen a fair amount above the trees. She bolted upright and cast about, her eyes finally coming to rest on Sesshoumaru as he sat against a tree, gazing at her. "It's late! Shouldn't we be going?" He merely raised an elegantly arched eyebrow.

"You were up late last night," he stated. Vanessa blanched. _What will he say about my watching him?_

"Ah… hehe… you knew about that?"

"Naturally." He didn't _seem_ angry… but then, who could tell with this one?

"I'm sorry… It's just that I heard you get up and I guess I let my curiosity get the better of me." She looked down at her hands, still clutching the blanket and muttered, "Curiosity killed the cat, I guess." Sesshoumaru gave her a slightly puzzled look.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Hm? Oh! It's just a saying, sort of a warning not to let curiosity get you in trouble."

"There was no harm done. Had I known that there would be an audience, perhaps I might have put on a better show." His words were flat, emotionless as they always were and it took a moment for Vanessa to comprehend what he had actually said. It wasn't until she looked up and saw the sparkle in his eye that she caught on. She couldn't help but to stare at him, shaking her head slightly. _Is he only playful in the morning, or what?_ That he was playing on her accusation that he was showing off wasn't lost on Vanessa. _I suppose I deserved that._

"I've really never seen anything like it. The way you moved…" _It was like a dance, deadly and beautiful at the same time._ "I didn't think it was possible for anyone to move like that." She had never seen anyone move so gracefully and, just for a moment, entertained the notion of Sesshoumaru in a tuxedo waltzing around a ballroom. "Anyway," she said, shaking the thought from her mind, "shouldn't we be going?"

"You should know that I am not just 'anyone,' and no. We will remain here for the next day or two."

"Oh." Who was she to complain? "Well then, you mentioned a hot spring?"

"Indeed. This way."

Sesshoumaru rose smoothly and began walking across the camp; Vanessa had to scramble to gather her bag and kimono and jogged to catch up. The spring wasn't very far from camp and soon Sesshoumaru left her to her bath and returned to check on Rin. It was a quiet, peaceful setting. The spring looked like a small pond surrounded by rocks and ferns. A few trees stood sentinel around the perimeter and further beyond those was a wall of bushes. It was a secluded place, but Vanessa had a hard time stripping down just then. When she had joined Kagome and Sango in a bath, she had been shielded by the cover of darkness. Now in full daylight she felt terribly exposed, especially with a man she hardly knew only a few dozen yards away. _You're being silly. _Convincing herself that Sesshoumaru was not the peeping-tom type, Vanessa glanced around her once more and took off her sweats and t-shirt and slipped into the hot water. It definitely felt _much_ better than the cold stream had. She didn't want to soak too long since there were only so many waking hours in the day to get to know her demon lord guide and guardian, and she had a feeling that their time would be significantly diminished when they finally reached their destination. Vanessa quickly washed her hair and the rest of her body and left the water to sit on the edge, drying herself with her towel. She wrapped her hair in the towel and put on the violet kimono that Sesshoumaru had given her. _How did I find myself here?_ Even after nearly a week, she still found it hard to believe that she had traveled five hundred years into the past. It wasn't supposed to be possible.

Finally, she ran her brush through her damp hair and scrunched the curls back into place. After packing away all of her belongings, she followed the sounds of 'camp' back through the bushes to her companions. Sesshoumaru was sitting against his customary tree, his wrist draped casually over his bent knee, watching Rin play beside Ah-Un. As Vanessa approached, Sesshoumaru glanced her way. "That was wonderful, thank you for showing me." He only nodded in response.

They had made camp in a flat space at the foot of a small hill. Where Sesshoumaru sat, the hill met the flat area and Vanessa joined him, reclining against the gentle slope. "This is nice," she commented.

"What is?"

"Just… this," she said waving her hand, "nothing but nature everywhere I look. It's rare where I come from."

"Is there no wilderness in your time?" Vanessa propped herself up on her elbows and looked over at Sesshoumaru.

"That's not exactly it. There are just more people and bigger cities. The areas that are still wild are separated by all of that."

"I see."

"So," Vanessa said, sitting up, "You said before that there was something that we needed to discuss before we got to your home?"

"Indeed. There are matters of protocol that must be observed."

"Such as?"

"As I said before, the other youkai may not take kindly to your presence. In public you must address me as 'Sesshoumaru-sama' or 'Lord Sesshoumaru'."

"I can do that."

"I will introduce you as a visitor from a foreign land, so a certain level of formality will be expected. It will be made clear that though you are human, you are under my protection and as such, will not be harmed. You must understand that I will not have as much time available for you as I do now. However, I will show you where you will be likely to find me, should you have any questions."

"I understand. I'm just grateful that you've given me as much as you have."

With that said, Rin, Vanessa and Sesshoumaru spent the rest of the day relaxing and learning new phrases from one another. After only two days of trying to learn Japanese, Vanessa was by no means conversational, but she had built up a small arsenal and hoped that she could make herself at least partially understood. As the sun sank lower to the horizon, Rin wandered to the edge of the clearing to find some root vegetables while Sesshoumaru went in search of game. That left Vanessa to wait with Ah-Un by the fire. She was leaning against him, idly scratching his chins when he suddenly jerked his heads up and stared at a point across the clearing, a low rumble escaping his chest. Just as she heard the dull buzzing sound she glimpsed a bit of black and yellow between the trees. Now, Vanessa wasn't overly fond of _normal_ sized wasps. Make that wasp fifty times larger and she would be more than a little bit nervous. However, before she could fully grasp what she was seeing, there was green flash like a whip and a piece of whatever had been buzzing bounced into the clearing, followed by a calmly walking Sesshoumaru. Vanessa crossed the clearing and looked down at the piece of flesh in time to see two bulbous red and white eyes before the whole thing disintegrated into a pile of dust. She looked up at Sesshoumaru as he set the rabbits that he had caught by the fire. "What was that?"

"Saimyoushou," he responded, though to Vanessa's ears he sounded almost distracted. Before she could question him further, he spoke again, "A nuisance, nothing more. However, they are poisonous. Do not go near them if you see any in the future." Vanessa nodded. After all, wasn't he the one who actually lived in this era? He would know better than she how to respond to the different creatures to be found there.

Sesshoumaru had been brooding ever since he killed the saimyoushou and Vanessa was beginning to feel a little disconcerted. After they finished their meal and Rin settled down for bed, the taiyoukai was still lost in his own thoughts. Vanessa sat beside him, the same place she had found him after her bath that morning, and watched as the last rays of the sun dipped below the horizon. Still he was silent. "What's on your mind?" she asked softly. Had he been anyone else, Sesshoumaru would have jumped at her voice. Instead, he merely slid his eyes to the side in a peculiar sidelong glance. He seemed to be studying her and Vanessa thought he might answer, but he just returned his gaze to the fire. She hadn't really expected him to divulge his secret thoughts, but he had seemed so distracted all evening, she wanted to try something. _Okay… something else then…_ "So somber." His eyes flashed and then as her mock-pout turned into a half-smile, they widened marginally before returning once again to the fire. _What is going on up there?_ "There's more to that s-saimyoushou" _Was that the right word?_ "than you're letting on, isn't there?" He gave a small sniff and straightened where he sat before turning to her.

"It would be best until we complete our journey that you do not leave my sight, and speak to no one apart from my presence."

"As long as I still get to bathe alone, you've got yourself a deal. Besides, who would I talk to anyway? I hardly have a handle on your language." She laughed a little at her own inadequacy and Sesshoumaru gave her another peculiar look, as though she were crazy for admitting her faults. _If he only knew what he expresses to someone who's watching for it…_

VvVvVvVvV

Ever since the saimyoushou had appeared so close to the camp – more specifically, so close to Vanessa, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but wonder what Naraku's next move would be. Obviously the spy had been sent to determine his attachment to Vanessa, but how had the hanyou found out about her so quickly? Perhaps it had been through Kanna's mirror. He definitely did not like the idea that Naraku was watching him. _Insolent half-breed. How dare he presume to spy on this Sesshoumaru?_ Then again, if he had discovered Vanessa's presence through the mirror, why use the saimyoushou? It was almost as though he _wanted_ Sesshoumaru to know that he was watching. _Why?_ Normally he was not concerned with Naraku's activities, but for some reason this time he couldn't push the 'why?' from his mind – even through Vanessa's insistent interruptions as the sun set. Finally he answered her, but it seemed that she wasn't ready to give up on conversation just yet.

"Sesshoumaru, will you tell me something about yourself?" she asked suddenly.

"Perhaps."

"Come on, I'll tell you something about me if you'll tell me something about you." Vanessa gave him a hopeful grin, which Sesshoumaru returned with a raised brow.

"What makes you think that I wish to know more about you?"

"Well… nothing really I guess…" Just for a moment, Vanessa's smile faltered, but she brightened again at Sesshoumaru's next question

"What do you wish to know?"

"Anything! How about… something from your childhood?" That seemed to be a fairly safe topic.

"That period of time spans a great many years."

"Hmm… how about a story?"

"A story."

"Yes! Something you did… or maybe a favorite bed time story."

"A story…" Sesshoumaru had not thought of his childhood in a long time. He had never considered himself a great storyteller, but when one of the few memories that he held onto came back to him, he thought it might be appropriate to fulfill Vanessa's wish. He wasn't sure that he had ever even told anyone this particular tale, but he _wanted_ to tell Vanessa. For some reason, he wanted to show this strange woman that he wasn't everything that popular belief said he was. "When I was a pup, a small child by your understanding," he began. "I had a very dear friend. Her father was an advisor to mine so she lived at the palace with us and we did nearly everything together. One day, after our lessons were finished, we took a walk. We wanted to explore the surrounding forest, but we were still very young by youkai standards, likely no older than the young kitsune that had kept Rin occupied in the village. Our fathers would never have allowed us to leave the gates unaccompanied, so we snuck out, as we had so often done before. We knew all of the secret places to escape unnoticed." He had since taken measures to secure those very locations – if children could take advantage of them, certainly his enemies could find them too. "We wandered far into the forest – farther than we had ever been. Eventually, evening came only to find us lost. My senses had not yet developed enough that I could scent our way home and, needless to say, we were quite frightened. We knew that our fathers would be furious with us, but more than anything we simply wanted to go home.

"As it grew darker, we saw a flicker of firelight in the distance and against our better judgment, we went toward it. If it proved to be a human camp, even as young as we were, we knew that we could outrun them and escape so we went to investigate. What I saw, and I think I shall never forget, only served to further my general… dislike of humans." He paused for a moment, remembering the scene that he and his companion had stumbled upon. "There before us was a magnificent bird, five-times again as tall as I was then, with feathers of fire and eyes black and glittering like the starry sky, its talons and sharp, curved beak were like shining silver, and it was trapped – brought down by the snares of man. We were hesitant to approach, in fact my companion would have rather left it for dead, but even at my young age, I knew the value of allies. I had heard stories of the great firebirds, but had never seen one. They lived in the mountains and rarely came down from the great heights; how this one managed to become ensnared, I still do not know, but I knew it did not deserve whatever it was that the humans had intended for it.

"I cautiously approached, my companion remaining in the shadows, calling out the errors of my ways. I ignored her. I was more concerned with the thrashing firebird than with unwanted commentary. The firebird was distrustful to say the least. Great metal chains looped around its legs and over its back and shoulders, pinning its huge fiery wings against its body, and another held its head so near the ground that I could look it in the eye when it turned its head. The mechanics of the trap escaped me then and I know not how long the bird had been so imprisoned, but to its eyes, I appeared human. It must have been there a long time, forgotten and left to die, as humans are wont to do, for it seemed that it had succumbed completely to its instincts and did not sense that I was youkai as well. I knew that I had to coax the intelligent, rational youkai mind out of its firebird shell if I wanted it to allow me close enough to help. I was merely a pup – I knew my limits. My father would have had no trouble taking the bird to hand and forcing it to submit to reason, but I would have to get it to trust my intentions first.

"For a long time I simply stood there, watching the bird, reaching out with my aura and hoping that it would break into its fear and rage-clouded mind. Eventually it quieted its thrashing and fixed one glittering black eye on me. That was when I knew that it saw me as I was, not as I appeared. I slowly approached once more and told it that I only wanted to help. The acid that I could release from my claws at that time was weak, and it would take a while, but it was all I had to remove the chains. As I worked, it asked who I was and I told it my name. 'Why is the young dog prince out so far from his home at this hour?' it asked. Abashedly I explained that my companion and I became lost before seeing the light of the firebird's feathers. It knew the way and said that in return for my kindness it would gladly return my friend and me to our home. 'While the gesture would be greatly appreciated,' I responded, 'there is no need for repayment.' Of course, my companion greatly begged to differ, but I told the firebird that all I wanted was to be remembered in some corner of its mind, should we ever need to forge an alliance when it came time for me to rule after my father. 'Such honor in one so young,' the firebird commented. He – for through our conversation, I had discovered that the firebird was a prince of his clan as well – told me that it was already done, that I had only to call if I needed the assistance of the firebirds. I told him the same would be true for the inu clan when my reign began, but also that I was unsure whether my father would honor such an agreement himself. The firebird understood. Until the need arose, if ever it did, the agreement would be between the two of us.

"Finally I succeeded in dissolving a link in the chain over his neck and carefully pulled the heavy metal away from his fiery feathers. The firebird prince shook his head and lifted it as high as the chains still crossing his back would allow. The crest of fire rose tall and proud atop his head as he looked down on me. I was about to begin work on dissolving the chains about his legs, when he spoke again. 'Sesshoumaru, prince of the inu clan, I, Karei, prince of the firebird clan, thank you.' Then he dipped his head to me in a bird-bow. To say my young mind was shocked would have been an understatement. Even bound by chains, one could see that Karei lived up to his namesake – Karei means magnificence. It so happened; that once his head was free of the chain, Karei no longer needed my help. He twisted his head around and bit cleanly through the remaining chains with his strong silver beak. The chains slid away from his body and, finally, Karei stood to his full height and stretched his wings, washing me with a warm breeze.

"Even though I told him that it was not necessary, Karei insisted on bringing us home. I am sure that my friend had heard our entire conversation, but for some reason unknown to me, she hesitated. It wasn't until Karei called her out of the shadows that she finally came. 'Come, little eagle,' he said. Perhaps it was that he knew what type of youkai she was, or perhaps her desire to go home finally won out, I do not know, but she approached. Karei lifted off the ground and took us gently in each of his great silver claws – we might have been burned otherwise, and set off in the direction of home. He rose effortlessly into the sky and for the first time I felt what it was to fly. I did not want the experience to end and all too soon, we were touching down outside the palace gates. Karei hovered for a moment while he released us and alighted softly behind us. Scant moments afterward, the gates burst open, which was quite a feat in and of itself as they were very large and very heavy, and there stood my father in a rage of a level I had never before seen. Close behind him was his advisor, the father of my friend, likewise in a fit of rage.

"The force of my father's glare caused me to take a step back, right into the great silver beak of Karei. He had lowered himself into a bow to show respect to the lord of the western lands, as well as to show that he was not a threat. I admit that I gave a rather undignified yelp of surprise when my fist brushed the feathers of Karei's face, singeing my skin. In that moment, I saw exactly how much worry I had caused my father. The rage disappeared and in an instant he was kneeling before me, inspecting my hand and searching for any other injuries. The small burn I had received from Karei was already beginning to heal and, satisfied that I was otherwise uninjured, my father glanced at the firebird and then looked down on me. 'What is the meaning of this?' he asked me, some of the anger returning to his voice. I told him that we snuck out after lessons, but before I could mention that we got lost, Karei interjected. 'The young ones happened across me in a rather embarrassing situation, my lord,' he said, standing tall once more. 'You see I was caught in a trap of chains set by a human village and your son set me free. The poison in his small claws is not as strong as it will be when he grows a bit older, so you understand that it took some time to dissolve the metal. He would not accept any sort of repayment for setting me free, but I insisted on bringing him and the eagle child home. While I cannot excuse their sneaking out of the palace grounds, I had hoped to justify the late hour and give my sincere thanks for the honor you have instilled in your son.' Once again he bowed low. I think my father must have been surprised that one as young as I had gone to the aid of an adult and succeeded. I, myself, was impressed with Karei's words. He saved me the embarrassment of admitting that I was lost, while politely chastising me for my error in judgment. He praised my honor and courage while making the point that I was still very young. I thought it very diplomatic of him. I still expected punishment for my actions, but I knew that in the end it would be worth it, if only because I saw my father's eyes shine with pride and a small amount of respect when he looked down on me again after Karei's account of the evening.

'Is this the way of things, Sesshoumaru?' he asked me and I could only nod.

"My father thanked Karei for bringing us home safely and the firebird left, presumably to return to his mountain home. Needless to say, it was a long time before we were allowed even as far out of doors as the courtyard without supervision, but I will always remember my encounter with the firebird prince." Sesshoumaru let his impassive mask slip back into place. He had not intended for his tale to be so long, or so detailed, but when he turned to Vanessa, she was staring at him in something akin to awe, with a strange little smile playing on her lips. "Was that an acceptable story from my childhood?" he asked.

"That," Vanessa began, "was amazing. If you have more stories like that, you could write a book."

Sesshoumaru gave a small snort, "I think not."

"Well why not?"

"It simply would not do to have the world know that there is a side to this Sesshoumaru, however small, that shows concern for other beings." Vanessa laughed, but Sesshoumaru was only half-joking. His reputation depended on certain aspects of his character and 'caring' for others would greatly diminish the impact of those characteristics. Still, he found that he was growing to enjoy the sound of Vanessa's laugher. It was sweet and musical and he hoped that it would never die. At last his thoughts returned to Naraku and what he could be planning.

"You never mentioned your friend's name." _Atsuko…_ He had not uttered her name since the night she died, and he didn't want to start now. Sesshoumaru looked pointedly at the sky and was surprised to note that the moon had already risen high above them.

"The hour grows late. You should get some sleep," he said, evading Vanessa's innocent question. Perhaps another time he would have the courage to speak of the only one who had ever caused him to feel so broken, but not tonight. Sesshoumaru still had to get used to the idea of having a friend before delving so deeply into his past.

"You're right," Vanessa said, stifling a yawn, "Good night then." She rose from her seat on the slope and made her way to her bag where she took a few articles out and ducked behind a bush. When she emerged again, she was clad in her strange pants and shirt. Vanessa gave Sesshoumaru a small wave and a smile before settling next to Rin beside the fire. Sesshoumaru watched the fireflies dance in the surrounding foliage for a while before reaching out with his senses to check for any other youkai. Finding none, he finally relaxed enough to allow him into a light slumber.

VvVvVvVvV

_Sesshoumaru walked through a hazy mist. He knew this place – he had only been here once, but he would never forget. His feet followed the rocky path. They knew the way. Soon, a shadow loomed dark and menacing before him, but Sesshoumaru knew that no harm could befall him. He continued on. Eventually, the mist could no longer hide the immense, shadowy figure. Sesshoumaru paused and turned his gaze upward. An enormous suit of armor contained an equally large skeleton. It seemed as large as a mountain, and indeed, sparse trees and shrubs had begun to overgrow the figure, and at the top, circling the skull, were large, skeletal, winged beings. They circled as dragons guarding a nest. Sesshoumaru knew the one who that had formerly inhabited this skeleton; how could he forget? But why was he here? His feet began moving again of their own accord, drawing him nearer to the looming skeleton, nearer to the tomb._

_He blinked and in a flash he was inside; it didn't seem strange, rather a perfectly normal method of travel. He looked about him – everything was just as he remembered. The walls were slightly melted by the poison he himself had unleashed. There, in that corner, was what remained of a mass of poison that should have killed Inuyasha's wench, but she was inexplicably saved by Tetsusaiga. And there, on the opposite wall, was the former resting place of said fang. Even now, Sesshoumaru was mystified as to how the human had managed to draw the fang in the first place. Finally, his eyes turned to the middle of the chamber, and in the center of the floor lay the arm that was stolen by his bastard of a hanyou half-brother. Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed red at the memory, but he kept his calm. Something, rather some_one_ else caught his attention far more even than his arm. A figure had materialized, standing beside the appendage, one whom Sesshoumaru had thought he would never see again. He stared, dumbstruck. His golden gaze traveled up the back of the figure. Black boots and white hakama, so much like his own, led to the twin tails of the pelt trailing from the figure's shoulders, shoulders encased in bone-plate armor. Finally he reached the figure's head, silver-white hair pulled into a high tail, revealing unmistakably pointed ears. Yes, he knew that figure. Somewhere in the recesses of his throat, Sesshoumaru found his voice. "Father?" The familiar visage turned to peer over his shoulder before turning fully around._

"_Sesshoumaru." His voice was just as Sesshoumaru remembered, deep and commanding._

"_Why am I here?" It couldn't be real. Sesshoumaru's father was dead. He knew that. _Is this a dream… or have I passed from the world of the living as well?_ He was slightly disturbed by his thoughts – he didn't remember dying, but there was no fear._

"_I have come to speak with you, my son." _Why here? Why now?_ Sesshoumaru voiced his questions._

"_Why have you come now, Father? After so long…" He thought of hundreds of times when he could have used his father's advice – battle, politics, ruling… Sesshoumaru was still young when he came to power, not nearly as experienced as some thought he should have been. He had had to fight fiercely to keep the title passed down to him._

"_You have not needed me until now. You are a fine ruler. I knew that you would do well even before Ryuukossei. You did not need me then. Now you do."_

"_I needed you. There was so much that you had yet to teach me, and then you were gone." Sesshoumaru's voice rose slightly with suppressed emotion, be wouldn't shout, especially not before his father. "You were gone and I had nothing," he finished softly, bitterly. He had never before admitted his insecurity at the start of his reign; it would have been detrimental to his continued rule, but now that he faced his father once again, he felt an undeniable need._

"_You had your brother."_

"_My _brother_," Sesshoumaru spat, "is not worth my time."_

_The former dog general shook his head sadly at his son. "Inuyasha is your family, Sesshoumaru."_

"_No, Father. The half-breed is _your_ family, the family for which you needlessly threw your life away."_

"_Sesshoumaru," his father growled dangerously, "you will not speak of your brother in such a manner. I would have done the same for you, had the need arisen." Sesshoumaru grew silent and averted his eyes from his father's, staring at a point to the left of his shoulder. It was far beneath him to sulk, but here was his father, who after 200 years finally chose to visit his him, and he spoke only of Inuyasha._

"_What of the human child?" His eyes snapped back to his father's in surprise at his change of subject and tone, but he remained silent. "I know you have come to care for the young one as much as she adores you." Sesshoumaru frowned slightly._

"_I feel noth-"_

"_You lie only to yourself if you do not acknowledge your true feelings, Sesshoumaru. You have hardened your heart for so long that I fear it may one day close beyond repair, but this child has been preparing you." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as he asked, but he knew what his father's answer would be._

"_For what?"_

"_She prepares you to love again, my son." At that, Sesshoumaru looked away again._

"_I cannot," he replied softly then turned hard eyes on his father, "I will not."_

"_Do you so fear the love of another?"_

"_No," he snapped, "I fear the heartbreak that results from loving another." Sesshoumaru's eyes grew wide as he processed what he had just said. He had always been able to speak frankly with his father, but never had he expected, nor wished, to voice such an admission. Sesshoumaru simply did _not_ admit his secret fears._

"_Do you still carry Atsuko with you, Sesshoumaru?" the Inu no Taisho asked gently._

"_No," he ground out, "but there will always be the sting of her betrayal."_

"_It will pass if you allow it."_

"_I will not put myself into a position to be used again."_

_His father laughed, and Sesshoumaru looked at him through his cool mask, though inside he was raging at the offense. "You always were stubborn, Sesshoumaru, so caught in what you believed to be true. Sometimes, my son, you just need to let go." He stepped toward his son, "Let it go, Sesshoumaru," he said, reaching a hand toward Sesshoumaru's face, "Just let go," then touching the blue crescent moon on his forehead with a clawed finger, "You must return now."_

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped open. _Father!_ He was breathing hard, sweat beading on his forehead; he had felt so close to him – his father even touched him! Sesshoumaru closed his eyes again, his hand coming up to his forehead to touch the spot where he had last felt his father's clawed finger, but it was no use. The dream was gone, taking his father with it. It had seemed so real, had he really spoken with his father?

"Sesshoumaru?" came a sleepy voice from beside the fire, "is everything okay?"

"Go back to sleep," he answered curtly. She wouldn't. Instead, she eased away from Rin and moved to sit beside the taiyoukai, wrapping her arms around her knees and peering over at him. Staring into the fire, Sesshoumaru tried a firmer tone, "Return to your bed, Vanessa." It didn't work. _Impudent human. _She only joined him in gazing into the fire.

"Sometimes," she started softly, careful not to wake Rin, "when I have a strange dream, it helps to tell someone about it, try to figure out what it means – if anything. They say that dreams are how the subconscious deals with what the conscious mind cannot." Sesshoumaru gave her a sidelong glance.

"You say such strange things." She stared at him for a moment then shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I'm just saying that if you ever wanted to talk, I'm a good listener." Vanessa turned back to the fire and continued thoughtfully, "Sometimes you just need to let go."

Sesshoumaru snapped his head toward her so fast anyone else would have gotten whiplash, "What did you say?" he asked fiercely. Vanessa jumped.

"W-what?" she squeaked. Too quick for her to see, he turned and crouched before her, gripping her shoulder.

"Tell me what you said."

"I-I said 'sometimes you just need to let go.'"

"Why? What did you mean by that?" He could smell her confusion and a slight trace of fear, but he didn't care. _How could she know?_

"I just… sometimes talking helps. You can't keep everything bottled up forever or it'll eat away at you from the inside. Telling someone what's on your mind can help you let it go." Vanessa's violet eyes caught his gold and he couldn't tear his gaze away. "Sesshoumaru…" she began, ignoring the clawed hand almost painfully clutching her shoulder, "Sesshoumaru, what's wrong?" He gave her a penetrating look and released her, turning back to the fire and resuming his seat.

"Nothing."

"I know that's not true." Sesshoumaru glared at her, but she only raised the wrist with the ribbon band for him to see and gave him a look that questioned his intelligence for forgetting.

"Look, I know we haven't known each other long, and you probably don't trust me. I respect that. But I also know that something is bothering you. I don't expect you to tell me, but just… think about telling _someone_. It might make you feel better." He looked at her in curiosity. No one, as far back as he could remember, had been so concerned about his emotional wellbeing.

"How do you know?"

"Know what?"

"You said you think something is bothering me." She smirked at him.

"No, I believe I said I _know_ something is bothering you." Sesshoumaru merely raised an eyebrow as a command for her to answer his question. "Okay. For starters, the past week, if you even slept at all, you hardly moved and certainly never made a sound, but tonight you were mumbling and sort of twitching. My guess is that you were having a pretty intense dream."

"Hn. This Sesshoumaru does not mumble." He was surprised at how observant the woman was. Had this dream really affected his sleep so much?

"Ah-ha!" Vanessa grinned at him, "So you admit that your dream was strange. Stranger than normal anyway."

"I did not say that."

"But you didn't deny it."

"Woman, you truly are insufferable." If anything, her grin broadened. It was almost as though she _enjoyed_ shredding his sanity.

"Well, _some _of us actually need sleep." She rose and made her way back to the sleeping Rin, but before she crawled under the blankets, she looked back at Sesshoumaru and whispered, "Just remember, I really am a good listener."

Returning his gaze to the fire, Sesshoumaru thought about his father's words, and then Vanessa's. _Maybe she would listen, but what could I tell her? She would never understand._ He wanted to think that Vanessa echoing his father's words was mere coincidence, but Sesshoumaru did not believe in coincidence. _What is Father playing at?_ He couldn't help the strange feeling that somehow his father was involved in bringing Vanessa to this time. Sesshoumaru had been content to live out the rest of his many days alone, but now he wasn't sure. First Rin, then Vanessa began ripping down his walls, rather forcefully if had anything to say about it, and he was letting them. He continued to suffer their presences, but he was by no means suffering. Sesshoumaru would never admit it, but he _enjoyed_ their company. That was why Naraku's involvement plagued his mind. The humans were _his_ companions – his ward and, yes, his friend, and he would be damned if he was going to let the hanyou take what was his. What was it about those two that made him feel so… possessive? But it really should have been easy to understand: they cared for him, truly and genuinely cared for him. It was a rare and seemingly impossible notion in his world of ice, but he knew it to be true. He would fight fiercely for the right to hold onto them, but for now his attachment could exist only within is own slowly thawing heart. No one else could know, or surely they would be used against him as Naraku had already tried with Rin. He would not let that happen again. Sesshoumaru cast a glance at the sleeping forms of the humans and closed his eyes, falling into a meditative state to allow his body to be refreshed while his mind remained fully aware of everything reaching his senses. Now that he knew Naraku was watching, he could not let his guard down for something as trivial as sleep, at least not until they passed the gates to his palace.

A/N: Yeah… sorry about that little history lesson back there… I was watching _The Patriot_ at the time. hehe…


	9. HomeComing

A/N: A few things before I start:

1. Thanks to everyone who commented so quickly!

2. Hmm okay… I'm not entirely satisfied with the first half of this chapter. Means to an end, I suppose… the next chapters will be much more interesting and much more entertaining, so bear with me, please.

How about we find out what's going to happen next?

Into the East

Chapter nine: Home-Coming

Posted: 26 July 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else is mine

William and Melinda Cartwright sat on the front porch of their New England estate. Their daughter, Vanessa, had been missing for almost a week and Melinda was beside herself with worry. They were just talking about said daughter when a stranger approached. He should have been stopped at the gate, so either he had an appointment that they weren't aware of or he found another way in. Either way, he approached calmly and casually, as though nothing were amiss. As he drew nearer, Melinda noticed that he was well dressed… very well dressed. She wondered what sort of trouble a man with his tastes could be. He wore a white casual suit and designer sunglasses. Melinda's only complaint was his hair: though his below the shoulder, black tresses were tied back into a neat enough queue, she wasn't overly fond of long hair. However, if he could afford a suit like that, then he might be allowed certain liberties with the rest of his appearance. She would withhold judgment until she heard what he had to say.

As he approached, the stranger removed his hat and sunglasses to reveal intense hazel eyes, and when his smooth voice reached her ears, Melinda was very nearly entranced. "Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright, my name is Yoshida. I have only just been informed of what has happened to your daughter and I would like to offer my sympathy. If there is anything that I might do to aid in the search, please, do not hesitate to call." He offered them a business card, which William rose to accept.

"That's very kind, Mr. Yoshida, but how do you know our daughter?"

"Forgive me, where are my manners? Vanessa and I traveled together once and have been friends ever since, though we seem to have fallen out of contact. You see my business takes me out of the country fairly often. It was only by chance that I happened across a news article detailing her disappearance, and I came straight away." Melinda smiled up at Mr. Yoshida, her eyes misty.

"I'm glad our daughter has friends who care about her so much."

"Yes. Now, I am afraid I must be going, but you have my number, please call if you need anything." He shook William's hand and then Melinda's before turning back the way he came. Then he stopped and turned once more to Vanessa's parents. "One more thing, if you don't mind. I understand Vanessa had a dog, Max. 'White and fluffy' as she described him." Melinda heaved and exasperated sigh.

"Yes, and that hairy beast has been getting more underfoot now than when she brought him around before. We've never really been dog people, but Vanessa… Vanessa's wanted a puppy ever since she was little. Finally, about three years ago, she bought Max and the pair has been inseparable since."

"I see." Mr. Yoshida looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing, "If it would help, I could take the dog off your hands until Vanessa returns. I understand that we have only just met, but I have room for him to run and have always been rather partial to dogs myself. He will be under the best of care." William and Melinda glanced at one another, uncertain if they should trust their daughter's beloved pet with this stranger. Mr. Yoshida could see that they were nervous so he tried again to reassure them, "You have my home address. If you are concerned for his well-being, you may stop by at any time to check on him." One last shared glance and the Cartwrights agreed.

"It would help not to have him moping about… But if anything should happen to him," Melinda stood and assumed her sternest 'mother' pose, "you will not only have to deal with us, but Vanessa too – when she returns." she added softly. Mr. Yoshida nodded.

"I assure you, he will be well cared for."

William called one of the household staff to bring Max and anything else Mr. Yoshida might need – food, bed, leash, toys… When Max emerged from the house, Mr. Yoshida held out a hand for him to sniff, and when the dog seemed not to object, he took the leash while Max followed him down the front path, tongue lolling. "I am parked at the gate. If you would be so kind as to bring his things and follow me, I would be most grateful," he said to the house staff. They followed and William and Melinda watched their receding backs. "I don't know why, but I like him," commented Melinda. For some reason, she wasn't feeling as uneasy as she thought she should after relinquishing custody of the dog.

"Only because he's gotten that dog out of your hair," was William's response. She laughed; he was probably right. The dog had been a constant reminder of Vanessa's absence. Melinda hoped that now that he was gone, perhaps dealing with her disappearance would be just a little bit easier until she was returned to them.

VvVvVvVvV

Rin and Vanessa spent the morning practicing their language lessons and, since Sesshoumaru was the only one in the group that could understand them both completely, that meant that he spent the morning practicing as well. He didn't mind terribly much, though he had to admit that after several hours, the routine grew tiring. Finally, as the noon hour approached, Sesshoumaru deemed it time to stop for lunch. It was clear that the humans would go on tirelessly for the rest of the day if he continued to participate, but he for one, desired a break. When he announced that they should take their meal, both females pouted at him as though he had cancelled a favorite game, and it was a bit unnerving the way he felt he should disregard his own discomfort and continue on just to make them happy. Sesshoumaru held firm, though, determined not to be swayed by a pair of mere mortals. Eventually they relented and Vanessa suggested that she and Rin take a short walk to work up an appetite, promising not to stray too far. The taiyoukai nodded and kept his ears trained on the pair as they made their way to the stream to wash up.

While they were gone, Sesshoumaru quickly caught two rabbits for their meal and was just setting the spit over the fire when a shriek echoed through the forest. In an instant he was on his feet, responding not only to the sound, but also to the traces of fear he felt through his connection with Vanessa. He couldn't sense anything in the area that would be a danger to her and that combined with silence from Rin caused him to race to the area where he thought the scream came from. Did something happen to Rin? From what he knew of Vanessa, she wasn't easily frightened to the point of voicing that fear, so what could have happened in the brief time that the two humans had stepped out of his line of sight? As he burst through the brush, Sesshoumaru was met with a scene that caused him to skid to a halt on the sand of the stream bank rather less gracefully than normal.

Vanessa was crouched on top of a boulder, while Rin knelt on the ground coaxing a spider with a body twice the size of Sesshoumaru's fist back into the grass. It was a youkai, but of such a low level that Sesshoumaru had not been bothered with its presence. It had simply been passing through the area; no youkai that weak would have dared start trouble with one such as he. Sesshoumaru approached, intent on either eliminating the perceived threat or strongly suggesting that it move about its business. Aside from it being the source of Vanessa's obvious distress, he had no quarrel with the creature. He walked toward Rin and was surprised to hear a small, gravely voice. "Have mercy, my lord, I was only passing through. I had no intention of frightening the human." _It is sentient? How odd._ He looked down and watched as it cowered beneath his stony gaze. "Please, my lord. I didn't know they were here until the older one screamed." Sesshoumaru could detect no falseness in the spider's plea and thus found no reason to kill it.

"Be on your way then. Now." The spider scuttled backward in the direction that Rin had earlier been urging it.

"Thank you, my lord. You are most gracious."

"Go."

"Yes! Right away!" The spider spun around and scuttled off into the underbrush.

Sesshoumaru stared after the small creature until he felt something attach itself to his arm. He shifted his gaze to the right only to meet Vanessa's pale gold curls. She had her face buried in his sleeve and he could feel a shudder course through her before she turned her face up to him. "That," she began, "was the biggest spider I've ever seen. I don't like spiders."

"Indeed. Now, will you kindly remove yourself from my person?"

"Sorry," Vanessa said, smiling sheepishly and stepping back.

"Come, your lunch will soon be ready."

"Great!" Vanessa called Rin and followed Sesshoumaru back to their camp where the enticing smells of roasted rabbit teased their senses. After a few more minutes, the meat was ready and the humans eagerly dug into their shares while Sesshoumaru left his untouched. He had not been able to prepare it to his liking and, being so close to his home, he didn't feel hard-pressed to eat it. Instead, he would save it for the humans' dinner. "That was a youkai, wasn't it?" Vanessa asked, after swallowing a bite.

"It was."

"And… you knew it wasn't a threat, didn't you?"

"I did."

"Hm."

"Why did you fear it so?" Sesshoumaru's curiosity grew when Vanessa gave another shudder.

"Spiders are so… creepy."

"Creepy," he stated in mild disbelief. Spiders were just another of the world's creatures, nothing to be seriously feared.

"Yeah, their hairy bodies and all those legs and beady little eyes. They're creepy."

"I see." He found it interesting that she feared spiders when Naraku was essentially a spider hanyou.

"Anyway, thanks for lunch," she said with a grin. "And I'm sorry yours got cooked too much."

"No matter. I will soon be home, and as you are aware, I do not need to eat as often as you do."

"Yes, I remember."

Little was said for the rest of the afternoon, but Vanessa took Rin for a swim in the stream and then a soak in the hot spring, promising to try not to get 'freaked out' by another spider. Sesshoumaru moved so that he could reach them in an instant if they needed him, and settled into his thoughts. He hadn't had a quiet moment all day to think about how he would deal with Naraku. Who did he have on his staff that he could trust with finding information? _Perhaps Saburo…_ Myouga had grown more unreliable over the years and couldn't be counted on to show up when he was needed. It also seemed that he spent a great deal of time with Inuyasha. If the flea did happen to appear, Sesshoumaru would ask his advice, but Saburo was one of his resident advisors. He was the closest thing Sesshoumaru had to a friend and had never steered him wrong before. There were still those whom he could not trust, so he had to be careful what reasons he gave for seeking out the hanyou, though it was common knowledge that he didn't think very highly of him by any means.

Sesshoumaru's thoughts kept wandering to what Naraku could possibly want with Vanessa – besides getting to him. Consequently, such thoughts led him back to his dream of his father and whether he had meant that _she_ was the one that he was being 'prepared' for. It couldn't be possible; he knew how Sesshoumaru felt about humans. And why _now_ of all times did he have to make an appearance that only proved to set Sesshoumaru's mind into a state of unrest? It didn't make any sense, and Sesshoumaru didn't like feeling so out of control.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru was quiet again… Not that he was an overly talkative youkai by nature, but this pensive, brooding silence was starting to trouble Vanessa. She and Rin had just finished a bath and were heading back to camp when she came across him leaning against a tree. His thoughts seemed to be a million miles away, but Vanessa had the feeling that he would snap back to the here and now in an instant if he had to. She passed by him and a quick glance over her shoulder proved that he had noticed their presence and was following them back to camp. Once back in the campsite, Sesshoumaru took his place on the slope overlooking the small clearing. Vanessa decided that she would try to coax out of him whatever it was that seemed to be taking over his thoughts, but it would have to wait. For now, she settled for chatting with Rin in their limited vocabulary while they re-heated some of the rabbit from lunch. Swimming in the stream and then the hot bath had sufficiently tired the girl to the point that Vanessa didn't think it would be long after their meal that she fell asleep. Once Rin was put to bed, it would be the perfect time to talk to Sesshoumaru, and so Vanessa waited.

Finally, when the sun sat just above the horizon, Rin fell asleep and Vanessa made her way to the hillside and took a seat. For a while, she met Sesshoumaru's silence with her own as she watched the setting sun. _I could get used to this,_ Vanessa thought with a smile and reclined against the hillside.

"Why do you smile?" Startled from a rather picturesque sunset, Vanessa turned her head to find Sesshoumaru staring at her.

"Hmm? Oh, no reason really. I was just thinking."

"What about?" She thought it a little strange that he had actually initiated conversation.

Vanessa shrugged. "Just that it's so peaceful here. I like it." Sesshoumaru turned back to the setting sun, resting his arm on his bent knee.

"It is not always peaceful," he said softly.

"No… I suppose not."

They fell into silence again and watched as the sun dipped below the horizon, scattering molten gold across the treetops. Vanessa could tell that something still troubled Sesshoumaru and she had a feeling that it wasn't only the Saimyoushou. She knew that he would be resistant to talking about whatever it was, but she wanted to at least try to coax him into expressing himself, so she sat up and turned back to him.

"So… Care to tell me what's on your mind?" She immediately turned away again at the look he leveled on her. _I guess that's a 'no'. _

Vanessa was in the middle of trying to come up with a 'Plan B' for broaching the subject when Sesshoumaru finally spoke. "It was my father."

"What was?" she asked when it didn't seem like he would say anything more, but he turned his gaze on her in a way that clearly said, 'If you wish for me to continue, then let me speak.' "Sorry," she said, grinning sheepishly, "go ahead."

"He died a long time ago, but last night he spoke to me in a dream. It was… unexpected." Vanessa waited for him to continue, but, again, it didn't seem as though he would.

"What did he say?"

"He seems to think that I should have a better relationship with Inuyasha."

"I see… well… he is your brother- "

"Half-brother," interrupted Sesshoumaru.

"Sorry, _half_-brother. My point is he's family."

"That is what _he_ said." _Ah, the sullen side of the great lord surfaces,_ Vanessa thought with amusement.

"As dysfunctional as my family might be, I don't know what I would do without my brother and sisters. Why is it that you and Inuyasha don't get along?" She hadn't asked it to pry, just to try and understand Sesshoumaru better, but the question seemed to cause him some kind of pain. He hid it perfectly behind his stoic mask, but Vanessa could still feel traces of it. "You don't have to answer," she said, thinking that he probably wouldn't anyway.

"He is a constant reminder of a time in my life that I would really rather forget."

"Oh… It must have been terrible if it made you hate your only brother – sorry, half-brother."

"No, it was not a pleasant time, and I do not wish to speak on it further."

"I understand. So… Did he say anything else?"

"He did." Sesshoumaru didn't elaborate.

"And… you don't want to talk about that either."

"Not at this time, no." _Not at this time… but maybe some other time._

"That's alright," Vanessa said as she leaned back in the grass to watch the stars come out. The sky was so clear that even in the faint twilight she could see more stars than in the middle of a 'clear' night in the city. "Oh, hey!" she said, sitting up again and earning herself a raised eyebrow from Sesshoumaru. "You said before that we'd be staying here for a day or two, so… do you plan on leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes, and we should arrive by nightfall."

"Really? So soon?" The thought of meeting a castle full of youkai was suddenly a daunting prospect. What would happen to the friendship that she felt certain was growing between her and the taiyoukai when his subjects would certainly be watching him? Sesshoumaru gave her a strange look then; he seemed to be trying to read her. Vanessa was no master at controlling her features like he was, but how could she tell him that, all of a sudden, going home with him frightened her a little?

"You have no need to fear."

"What? I'm not afraid," she lied, but Sesshoumaru actually smirked at her.

"I do not need this bit ribbon to know that is untrue."

"Is that so."

"Yes." When he didn't elaborate, the amusement in his eyes told Vanessa that there might be a chance that he was toying with her. So, she took the bait.

"And how is it that you know so much about what I'm thinking?"

"It is not what you are thinking, but what you are feeling."

"Oh? Then… how do you know what I'm feeling?"

"Simple. Your scent changes."

Vanessa had never thought of that. She knew that Sesshoumaru had a strong sense of smell, but to actually be able to _smell_ her emotions? "Really?" she asked seriously. "I thought that was just a myth, something to say so that people wouldn't panic if they came across large animals in the wild."

"Where do you think the notion came from that creatures could scent fear?"

"Hm. That makes sense I guess." Vanessa laughed softly. "I think that after I get back home, I'll have to rethink my beliefs on all of the so-called myths that I grew up on. In the week I've been here, I've encountered something very similar to the Greek Minotaur, a talking spider, a flying dragon, a man with dog-ears, and a man who has super-human strength, speed and who can fly, not to mention magic portals that transcend time and exist. None of these things are supposed to exist. _You_ aren't supposed to be real."

"But I am."

"Yes, I can see that. I just don't know how I'm going to explain where I've been to my family, or anyone for that matter, and not be locked away for the rest of my life." Sesshoumaru's eyes darkened slightly in what Vanessa could only guess was concern.

"Why would you be locked away?" he asked.

"Well, for starters, no one would believe me. They'd think that I've developed some sort of brain disease and would try to cure me of whatever it was that was causing these 'delusions.'"

"Have you ever caused your family to distrust you?"

She shook her head, "No."

"Then why wouldn't they believe you?"

"It's not that simple. Things are different in my time. I'm sure even Kagome's family would have a hard time believing her if they hadn't seen her travel through the well themselves."

"I see."

"I'll just have to think of something believable when the time comes… something that doesn't include a time portal. Sesshoumaru… do you think that we'll even be able to find a way to send me home?"

He seemed to consider the question for a while before answering, "You came here somehow so there must be a way for you to return otherwise the balance would be disrupted. You will find a way home."

Vanessa smiled and leaned back against the slope again. He probably hadn't meant to – or maybe he had? – but she felt comforted by his words. His confidence was reassuring and she was certain she'd be home before she knew it.

"Vanessa." Sesshoumaru's voice drifted to Vanessa's ears through the darkness. She opened her eyes. Had she fallen asleep?

"Hm?"

"You should go to your bed near the fire."

"Hm," she said, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Not long."

"Okay," Vanessa said through a yawn and rose slowly to her feet. "Good night, Sesshoumaru."

"Good night, Vanessa."

VvVvVvVvV

The next morning, Sesshoumaru greeted the dawn and watched over his sleeping humans for a little while longer. He had spent the night thinking about how to explain Vanessa's presence to the rest of his House in such a way as to take the focus off of her. She was clearly frightened, and that was partly his own doing since he had told her before that it was likely that the other youkai wouldn't take very kindly to his 'adoption' of another human. The plan he had come up with would certainly raise a few eyebrows, but hopefully the others wouldn't think too much about it. Sesshoumaru had decided to tell Saburo the complete truth in order to ward off unwanted questions, but the rest needed only to know a portion. He would tell them that he had happened across the woman and found that she was a visitor from another land, stranded indefinitely in this region. In return for offering her shelter in his home, she would take care of Rin. Even to the other youkai, it would be clear that the human child needed human influence. Vanessa was educated and was also learning Japanese at a surprising rate, so he would tell them that she would also serve as a tutor for the child. Since she had already taken to both roles of her own accord, Sesshoumaru assumed that it would continue once they arrived at the palace, especially since Rin would be the only familiar company Vanessa had while Sesshoumaru was otherwise engaged in his duties. If it so happened that she could not return to her own time, she would always have a valid position within his household – in addition to simply being his friend.

If they covered the distance that Sesshoumaru knew they would today, the small group of travelers would pass through his gates by nightfall, maybe shortly thereafter. By that time, most of the residents of the palace will have settled in for the night so there should be few besides the servants who would be wandering the halls as they made their entrance. He thought it would be best for Vanessa not to be met with the inevitable surprise of her presence after a long day of travel. Breakfast the next morning would be a better time to introduce her formally. There would be fewer in attendance and before the day was out, they will have spread the word of her arrival to practically everyone else within the compound. That way, if she happened across any of the other youkai alone or with Rin, they will know something of who she was and at the very least, that she was not to be touched or harassed. Jaken was another matter entirely. He would be gruff and rather abusive, but for the time being, Vanessa would be saved from his offensive words simply because she did not yet understand them. To his credit, Jaken had never let harm come to Rin if it were at all in his power to prevent it. It was clear that he cared for the girl in his own way, though he stoutly refused to admit it. Sesshoumaru was certain that, after a short time, his attitude toward Vanessa would be the same. It couldn't be helped. Vanessa was… likeable, for lack of a better word. She had fallen asleep beside Sesshoumaru for a short time last night and he couldn't help but stare down at her. She seemed to glow in the moonlight and a soft smile played on her lips. Despite being thrown into a possibly hostile world compared to her own, she was holding up remarkably well. He couldn't imagine what it must be like for her to try to believe what her eyes told her when her brain clearly 'knew' something different. The thought that his kind would eventually be reduced to mere myth and legend was also an unsettling thought. Sure, she had mentioned it before, but it wasn't until last night that he truly grasped the meaning of what she had said. To think that one as sweet and honest as he felt she was could be 'locked away,' as she put it, simply for telling the truth of what she saw with her own eyes did not sit well with him. True, he himself had had a difficult time believing that she and the miko had traveled through time, but the notion of powerful magic was not as far-fetched in his time. Perhaps he would have to help her come up with a plausible story to tell her world. It would, after all, be in the effort to ensure her safety, and wasn't that what he had sworn to himself to do?

Finally, Sesshoumaru decided that it was time for the humans to awaken. They ate a quick meal and gathered up the few supplies that they had, which had somehow been scattered throughout the campsite. Once everything was safely packed away on Ah-Un's back, Rin and Vanessa clambered on and hit the trail again. Sesshoumaru set a fast, ground-eating pace, occasionally taking to the air to bypass terrain that would only slow their progress. By mid-morning, though, he had a strange desire to fill the silence. Any other time, Sesshoumaru would have been more than content to travel in silence, but ever since Vanessa had joined his small party, conversation had begun to feel somewhat normal. The first days of travel were awkward, neither was quite sure how to react to one another, but now… it was strange how natural it felt to hear her voice, whether she was explaining the ways of her time, or chatting with Rin in her ever-improving Japanese. At the moment, however, Rin was lying on her stomach watching the trees pass by far below them and Vanessa was sitting with her chin in her hand propped on one knee. Her gaze was directed somewhere off in the distance, and it was clear that her thoughts were at least that far away. Sesshoumaru was slightly impressed with the way she had taken to flying; she didn't seem to hold the same fear that she had that first time. Occasionally he would hear her breath catch when they first took off, or when Ah-Un began to descend, but more often than not, she simply took the change of altitude in stride. He spared a glance toward the ground below and found that the terrain was more to his liking, so he signaled for Ah-Un to descend. Flying the entire distance to the palace would significantly shorten the time it took to arrive, but he wanted to arrive just at dusk, not before. Also, after two days of relative inactivity, he felt the need to stretch his legs.

Once again on the ground and with no conversation forthcoming from Vanessa, it was up to Sesshoumaru to fill the silence. He wasn't quite sure _why_ he wasn't content with his usual traveling style; he just knew that somehow it felt right that they should be talking while they traveled. The problem was that Sesshoumaru wasn't sure how to simply start a conversation for the sake of conversing, rather than briefing his advisors about the state of his lands, acquiring information or threatening someone. Those things he could do effortlessly, but engaging in simple conversation… normally he had no interest, so why was he troubling himself with it now? Then he had an idea; he might even be able to have some fun while he was at it. "Vanessa," he said, breaking the silence.

She jerked out of wherever she had been and turned to Sesshoumaru. "Yes?"

"There is something that we must discuss."

Puzzlement flitted across her features before she responded, "Okay. What about?"

"It is about you."

"Me?" she squeaked. "What about me?"

Sesshoumaru kept his tone neutral, curious as to what her reaction would be. "Yes, you have not fulfilled your end of a certain bargain."

Now the confusion was plain on Vanessa's face; she didn't remember. "Bargain…?"

"Of course," he responded, raising an eyebrow. "When you requested a 'story,' you offered to tell something of yourself in return. As yet, you have not done so." The look on her face was priceless. Clearly, Vanessa had not been expecting playfulness from the stoic youkai lord. _It is entirely her fault._ Sesshoumaru reasoned that if the woman's cheerfulness had not been so infecting, he would not now be feeling the need to lighten the mood; he could tell that she was still uneasy about their impending arrival at his palace.

"Is something wrong?" Sesshoumaru asked, his golden eyes sparkling.

"You… I thought I might have done something wrong," Vanessa admitted, "but you… you were trying to get a rise out of me!" Of course that had been his goal all along, but for the moment he thought it best not to respond. He had an image to uphold, after all. "So, you're calling me on this bargain of yours… but… I thought you didn't want to know anything about me." Her amusement was apparent in her voice and he was pleased that she seemed to be playing along.

"Perhaps not, however I intend to hold you to your word." It was entirely untrue that he didn't want to learn more about her; however it didn't seem right to him that he should dodge her personal questions and then expect her to answer his own so he had simply refrained from asking about her life and focused instead on her time. Besides, he never actually _said_ that he was uninterested. It may have been implied, but ultimately, the interpretation was left to Vanessa.

"Okay then, what would you like to know?"

He wanted to know everything about this curious creature, but at the same time, did not want to feel obligated to reveal too much about himself so he met her gaze and mirrored her own request: "Tell me something of your childhood."

Vanessa wrinkled her nose and said, "My childhood really wasn't all that interesting, not compared to the things you must have done."

"That is of no consequence. You asked what it is that I wish to know. I answered."

"Well…" she said, tapping her chin, "I suppose I could tell you a favorite memory."

"That will do."

"Alright then. When I was little, maybe five or six years old, my family took a trip out to the country to visit some friends of the family, and I think that was the first time I saw a horse up close and personal." _'Up close and personal?' Where did she live that she had to travel just to see a horse?_

"Are horses uncommon where you are from?" he asked, curious.

"Yes… well, no… sort of. They're not exactly _uncommon_ – they just don't serve the same purposes as they do in this time period. The people that own them mostly have horses for pleasure or to compete in performance or races. Occasionally you might see a horse-drawn carriage, but those are more of a novelty than anything else."

She wasn't making any sense. Horses were by far the most efficient way for humans to travel… in this time. _Perhaps methods of travel will change in the future… but to what?_ When Sesshoumaru noticed Vanessa's amused smile, he knew that she could tell that he was confused. Still, he had a hard time admitting his ignorance. There were few that the taiyoukai had encountered who could match him in intelligence and he accepted that Myouga and Toutousai were the sometimes-resident experts in anything he might ever need to know. Grudgingly, he went to them when he needed information regarding the histories or the laws and traditions in other territories. Cowards those two may be, but they were certainly well traveled. Now beside him, was someone – a human woman, no less – who clearly knew a great deal more than he could ever have imagined. It was difficult to stomach. Eventually, Vanessa herself saved him from trying to voice his questions. "You want to know what we use instead of horses, don't you?" she asked. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, but nodded just the same. "Machines have pretty much replaced livestock for everything except food. Automobiles are the main form of transportation. You can think of them as sort of a horseless carriage. They were even called as such in the early days. Roads have improved and are harder and smoother than the ones you might be familiar with. Japan is actually one of the leaders in producing reliable autos. Other types of machines are used to plow fields, haul equipment and build other machines. It's not a very good explanation, I guess, but it's a start. So," she said, clapping her hands together, "back to my first encounter with a horse. As you might guess, not everyone owns horses, but it's just about every little girl's dream to own a pony one day, and, well, I was no different. It didn't matter that I had never seen anything but pictures of the animal; I was so excited when my parents told me that we were taking the trip. The two-hour ride out to our friends' stable seemed to take forever, but finally we arrived. Sometimes, I think my parents did it just to torment me, but once we arrived, we spent another few hours talking with our hosts. It turned out that they had a son close to my age, just a year older and we became fast friends. His name is Bryce.

"Anyway finally, _finally_, the adults consented to a tour of the stables. Bryce and I ran out the door and across the yard while our parents followed at a more appropriate pace. I'm sure they were probably laughing at us, but I didn't care – it was finally time to see my all time favorite animal up close. I could hardly contain myself. Bryce showed me the tack room and the hayloft and just before we wandered into the aisle where the horses were housed, he gave me an apple, but told me not to eat it. He stopped at the first stall that we came to and waited, grinning like a fool at me. I didn't know what he was waiting for, and being the small child that I was, I couldn't very well see what was inside the stall, and I was growing rather impatient. Then, all of a sudden, this huge black head reached over the door and snatched the apple right out of my hands. I was so startled that I jumped back and tripped over my feet, landing rather unceremoniously on the floor. To this day, I still say that horse was laughing at me, along with Bryce and both of our parents who had just rounded the corner in time to witness my intimate encounter with the ground. Gathering up my wounded pride, I brushed myself off and took a good look at my apple thief. She was jet black all over, except for a white star and a few other small white spots on her forehead. 'Starry Night' was her name, Star for short, and it was love at first sight. Bryce's father let me into her stall and lifted me up onto her back. I felt like I was on top of the world. Star was so much taller than I had imagined, but I wasn't afraid. After all, this was what I had been waiting for all day and for the weeks leading up to the trip.

"Bryce's family invited me to come and learn to ride whenever I liked – as long as it was okay with my parents, and I immediately accepted. Bryce and I became very good friends and we would go riding together all over their property after I had grown up a bit. We kept in contact throughout our schooling until eventually we ended up at the same university. He graduated the year before I did and asked me to marry him. This ring," Vanessa said, holding out her hand to show him the jewel, "is the symbol of his promise." She pulled her hand back and watched the diamond glitter in the firelight. "He was so different then," she said softly then shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Anyway, several times every year I visited Bryce's family stables and was able to ride their horses. I never owned my own, but Star was always a favorite of mine. And… that's that. My childhood memories, with a little extra thrown in for good measure."

"I see." _Curious. She is betrothed to a childhood friend just as I was…_ except the outcome of Vanessa's relationship seemed to be a little brighter than his had been. Her story had triggered a series of strange emotions in Sesshoumaru. It was the second time in a little more than a week that he found he desired something that someone else had, something that he couldn't simply take for himself, and he decided that jealousy was certainly not a pleasant feeling and one that he would take great pains to avoid. He had to think about what it was exactly that caused such feelings to stir, but he knew that they all centered on Vanessa. It wasn't until he found her that he realized what he was missing without the closeness that Inuyasha's pack seemed to have. Then he had felt an undeniable pang of loss when Vanessa mentioned her betrothal. _She has known him since they were young…_ That was it. Of course he would not feel jealousy toward the man she was intended to marry. It was simply that they had what he did not – someone to share his affection. He could never be envious of a human, even if they held the heart of one as intriguing as Vanessa. _No,_ thought Sesshoumaru as his thoughts began taking him into questionable territory. No, Vanessa merely reminded him of what he didn't have. Nothing more. He _might_ have had all of those things once if events had turned out differently, but he didn't need them now. The past two centuries had proven as much. Sesshoumaru was a successful ruler, respected or feared depending on what the situation required. He was content in his life, wasn't he? Of course he was - why shouldn't he be?

"Sesshoumaru?" Vanessa's voice cut through Sesshoumaru's musings and he blinked, clearing his head, and turned to her. "Everything okay?" He blinked again.

"Fine. I was just… remembering," he admitted.

"Oh." Sesshoumaru knew that she probably wanted to ask what it was that he was 'remembering,' but he was thankful that she didn't press it. Perhaps he would tell her more, one day, but today would not be that day. Sometimes, when she spoke, it would trigger some memory that he thought long forgotten or spark some errant thought that normally would never have risen to the surface of his mind. Clearly she was affecting him, and he wasn't sure what to make of it.

During the past two days, there had been no other appearance of the saimyoushou and he wondered if he should feel relieved or more concerned that Naraku no longer seemed to be so obviously watching. Sesshoumaru was certain that he could eliminate the hanyou in no time at all in a fair fight, but Naraku didn't fight fairly. He used cheap and backhanded tricks to manipulate his enemies. There was no honor in anything that he did, and it made Sesshoumaru, not by any means fearful, but wary of what the next move would be. Of one thing he was certain though, and it was that for whatever reason, Naraku had turned his sights on Sesshoumaru - probably to try once again to assimilate him into his conglomeration of lesser youkai. _He is a fool to think that I would allow him so close again._ Once they were safely within his walls, Sesshoumaru would investigate the matter and track down any leads that might surface, but until then, he would simply keep a wary eye open for any further signs as they completed the last leg of the journey home.

When the group stopped for lunch, they made a light meal of some fruit, rather than take the time to build a fire for cooking. They took a few minutes to stretch their legs, since Rin and Vanessa had been riding Ah-Un since that morning and were eager to move around a bit. Since Rin was getting a little antsy before they stopped for lunch, Vanessa engaged her in a game of 'tag,' as she called it, which consisted of one chasing after the other alternately until they both collapsed into a panting, giggling heap. It would seem that the woman had succeeded in 'burning off' some of Rin's pent up energy. Sesshoumaru was watching the pair catch their breath and was just about to call them back so that they could set off again, when a familiar scent teased his senses. He growled to himself and ordered the females to stay close to Ah-Un and not to move from the dragon's side until he returned. As he turned to follow the scent, Sesshoumaru scanned the skies for any sign of further threat to their safety. Finding none, he sped along the scent trail until he reached a small cluster of trees and slowed to a walk to approach the shadows in a more dignified manner.

"Naraku," Sesshoumaru sneered into the semi-darkness. Slowly, a figure cloaked in a baboon pelt stepped out of the shadows. It was merely a puppet if Sesshoumaru was any judge, but he still kept a wary eye on it. "You have no business here, half-breed," the taiyoukai continued, but was met with cold, dark laughter.

"I assure you, _Lord_ Sesshoumaru, that I do." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in response to Naraku's mockery of his title; more than anything he wanted to sharpen his claws on this imitation, but he also wanted answers.

"Why did you reveal to this Sesshoumaru that you were watching? What game are you playing?" Sesshoumaru knew that Naraku was after either him or the girls, but the hanyou would get nothing. He would make sure of it.

"I play no games, dog lord. I let you see the saimyoushou so that you would know I am always watching. I will always know what you are doing and when you are at your weakest. Already I have tried to absorb you and even if I fail again, I will see to it that you are of no further use to anyone. What will your little humans do then?" Sesshoumaru could hear the smirk in his voice. "The older one is a pretty thing – she would make a fine… companion… for my next detachment, or perhaps…" Naraku laughed again, "perhaps I shall take her for myself, but what to do with the young one…"

"You will never lay a hand on either of them." He had managed to keep his voice under control and had guarded his mind from Naraku's probing, but inside he was seething. How dare Naraku threaten what was his – and to his face, no less? Sesshoumaru wanted to tear the hanyou – not just this puppet – to shreds with his bare claws, but that would have to wait. He would have to get Rin and Vanessa to a safe place before he could hunt down and destroy Naraku.

"Tell me, Sesshoumaru," Naraku said, continuing his taunting, "when did this affinity of yours to human females develop? Was it when you found the girl-child broken and bleeding in the dirt? But now, you have taken in an adult, a woman." He gave a low chuckle, "Maybe it began long before that. Inuyasha is a hanyou as well as your brother, is he not? That would mean that the father you share had taken a human female into his bed. Following in your father's footsteps, are we?" Evil laughter filled the forest and Sesshoumaru had had quite enough.

"Enough." he snarled, lunging for the puppet and slashing through the pelt with his claws. As the fur disintegrated, a small wooden doll rolled through the grass and Sesshoumaru quickly crushed it beneath his boot. He had dallied far too long with the puppet; it was time they continued their journey home. Once again, Sesshoumaru sped through the forest, this time returning to his charges and long before he saw them, his nose told him that they were still unharmed. When he slowed to approach them, he was secretly pleased to find that they had obeyed him. He was certain that Kagura was nowhere nearby and if the need arose, Ah-Un would have been able to easily lift them to safety in the sky. _So… Naraku had no intention of taking them this time._ But what about next time?

When Sesshoumaru re-entered the clearing where he had left the others, Vanessa immediately rose and walked toward him. "Sesshoumaru? What happened?"

"Nothing that you should be concerned about. Come, we must go." Sesshoumaru began to walk past her to Ah-Un, but paused when he caught her staring at him. She knew that he wasn't telling her everything and he sighed inwardly. "Later," he said softly so that only she could hear. When he saw her nod, he continued to Rin and Ah-Un. They had never really spoken of her previous capture by Kagura and she had put up a brave face, confident that her Sesshoumaru-sama would save her, but she was still a child and he didn't want to frighten her with the prospect of being taken again. Finally, the humans were mounted on Ah-Un's back and the journey began again. They traveled quickly, but didn't rush; Sesshoumaru still wanted to arrive just at nightfall, but they had some time to make up due to their extended lunch break.

VvVvVvVvV

Rin's complete faith in Sesshoumaru was infectious. Vanessa had been concerned when Sesshoumaru rushed off so suddenly, but she reasoned that he would not have left them without some protection (Ah-Un), and Rin had calmly and happily walked over to the dragon to await her lord's return, helping to ease her anxiety. She had a hunch that it had something to do with the saimyoushou from before and her suspicions grew when Sesshoumaru returned and refused to say anything on the matter. To her immense surprise, he had as much as told her that he would tell her what happened later. Vanessa figured that whatever happened, Sesshoumaru didn't want to frighten Rin with the information.

Before long they were continuing their journey. Vanessa talked to Rin, determined to gain some sort of handle on Japanese, and sometimes she would explain different aspects of life in the future to Sesshoumaru. He didn't always offer much input, but she could just tell that he was listening and absorbing everything she said, storing it away for a later time. It was nice to have someone _really_ listen to her. They hadn't really had any overly 'deep' conversations, but they were still learning from one another.

Idle chatter filled the rest of the afternoon, mostly between Vanessa and Rin, until they came to a stop at a road – it was the first one that Vanessa had seen since they left Kaede's village. She was a little puzzled as to why they were suddenly stopped when they had been moving so quickly earlier, but when she glanced over at Sesshoumaru, he was staring down the road to the west, seemingly waiting for something. The sun wasn't far above the trees and Sesshoumaru had said that they would reach the palace by nightfall so it must not be far, or he wouldn't just be standing there like that. When he didn't say anything or look as though he would be moving again until he was good and ready, Vanessa turned her attention to their surroundings. Tiered fields lined the opposite side of the road with the occasional villager still working, though by this hour, most had already left for home. Beyond the fields, farmland gave way to a forest that climbed the mountains in the background. It was beautiful country and Vanessa was fully engrossed until Sesshoumaru spoke. "There," he said, and she turned to face him again. He was pointing in the direction that he had been staring for the past few minutes. Curious, Vanessa followed the line of his arm and gasped when she saw what lay in the distance. Now she knew what he was waiting for; the sun had sunk low enough on the horizon to reveal a magnificent palace set on a high hill, when before it had been hidden in the glare of the afternoon sun. It was beautiful. Even at this distance, Vanessa could see the sweeping tile rooftops above brilliant white walls. She imagined detailed carvings below each of the peaks in the black-tiled roofs and couldn't wait to see them. A tall wall of stone surrounded the palace, designed so that only the tallest of the buildings could be seen from the hill below, but Vanessa was certain that it allowed those inside to perfectly see what lay beyond. Outside the wall, tucked into the trees, were smaller structures, presumably belonging to minor lords and other retainers. Eventually, she found her voice: "It's beautiful." Sesshoumaru nodded and then turned to her.

"Come," he said, "It will not be long now."

True to his word, a little over an hour later, the sun had set and the sky was steadily growing darker while Sesshoumaru led them up the hill to the main gate where he told Rin and Vanessa to dismount and collect their belongings. Vanessa shouldered her backpack and draped her dress over her arm, while Rin took the blankets. Sesshoumaru opened one half of the massive gate himself and held it so that the girls could pass before leading Ah-Un through and re-closing the gate. After seeing how big and heavy the gate was, Vanessa fully understood pup-Sesshoumaru's shock when his father had opened both doors with such force that they 'burst' open. She also had a newfound respect for how strong Sesshoumaru must really be to have opened the door as easily as he had.

Sesshoumaru sent Ah-Un off with one of the guards and began walking toward the palace. "Walk behind me, Vanessa," he said without turning to her. Trusting him to know what to do in his own home, Vanessa did as she was told as Rin fell in beside her. They hadn't encountered anyone yet, besides the gate guards, so she began to feel a little more at ease. Inside the wall, Vanessa found the palace to be even more beautiful. It turned out that it was made up of several separate buildings connected by covered walkways on the second level. The walkways looked like they were built in such a way that the top could be used as a bridge as well, actually creating two covered walks and one uncovered. There were more floors, but Vanessa figured that traffic between buildings on those levels wasn't as heavy since there were no walkways connecting them. Sesshoumaru led them through a large courtyard to the only building that was not connected to the others. This one was smaller than the others, only three floors and not as wide. The rooftop was white with black trim rather than black with white trim like the others, and there was a tall wooden fence on either side, further separating this building from the rest._ Is this where Sesshoumaru lives?_

As if in answer to her mental question, Sesshoumaru walked up the stairs to the wrap-around deck and opened the large main door. He motioned the two humans inside, telling Rin to go to her room and prepare for bed. Rin skipped through the door and disappeared up the stairs. When Vanessa followed her through the door, the bustling servants stopped what they were doing – it was clear that they were caught unprepared for their master's unexpected arrival – and stared openly at her. Her face heated at their scrutiny, but before all the attention grew unbearable for her, Sesshoumaru entered and let the door close loudly behind him. That sound - as well as his hard glare - sent them scurrying down hallways or to their places along the walls where they tried to become as unnoticeable as possible. "I will speak with them in the morning," he assured her. Vanessa nodded as she took in the wide hall where they stood; it seemed to be a center point for the whole building. The wide hall stretched from the front door to the back and was so tall that the ceiling was on the same level as that of the third floor. A staircase rose from the center of the first floor to meet a large landing at the second floor, which branched out to the sides in a walkway and connected with a staircase to the third floor. Along the three walls forming a U-shape around the front wall was a balcony on the second and third floors that met the walkway and staircase. On each level, two hallways branched from each of the walls to the right and left. In the dim lamplight, Vanessa thought she could pick out some kind of pattern in the wood floor. This front room was impressive enough itself, but she still couldn't wait to see the rest of the place.

It took only a few moments for Vanessa to take in her surroundings and soon Sesshoumaru was walking toward the staircase. He paused at the landing and gestured to the left walkway. "My personal office is at the end of those halls and similarly, down these halls," he pointed to the right, "is my library. Look in either of these places first if you need to find me during the day. Tomorrow you will be shown the rest of the grounds." Then he started up the second set of stairs, pausing again at the top. "Guest rooms are down the halls to the right; however, tonight you will stay in a suite with Rin. If you wish to have your own rooms, it can be arranged tomorrow."

"Oh, I don't mind staying with Rin. I don't want to make extra work for anyone." Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment and then turned to the left, walking around the balcony to the first hallway. Lamps were lit in wall sconces down the entire length of the hall, revealing doorways on the left side but not the right. Some of the doors were solid wood, while others were sliding shoji screens. Vanessa was curious as to what lay behind the doors, but didn't have time to explore

Sesshoumaru continued down the hall to the very end and opened the wooden door. Only one lamp was lit, so Sesshoumaru took a candle from a stand beside the door and set about lighting more lamps, leaving Vanessa to explore the room on her own. She set her belongings down beside the door and took a look around. The table with the first lamp was set low to the ground and was surrounded by cushions. On the far wall was a sliding door that stood open a few inches to allow a breeze into the room. Being that they stood on the third floor, Vanessa assumed that the door led out to a balcony. Sesshoumaru must have seen her looking at the door, because he paused and said, "Out that door and to the left is an outhouse. It is convenient to have the facility nearby with a child here."

"Thank you, that's good to know." In truth, she had been wondering about the bathroom situation; she knew that there was little chance of actual plumbing. To her left was a sliding shoji door like she had seen in the hall and she turned to ask Sesshoumaru what was behind it, but he was gone. Frowning, Vanessa glanced around the room again. _Now where did he go?_ That was when she noticed the small hallway in the right-hand wall. None of the doors had opened, so she figured that was the direction Sesshoumaru had gone. Picking up a small lamp, she went to investigate.

Light spilled out of the first doorway and Vanessa was about to enter when she saw Rin sitting under the covers on her futon. She wanted to say good night to the girl, but had second thoughts when she saw Sesshoumaru kneel beside her bed facing away from the door. His back was straight and from what she could tell, his hand appeared to be in his lap, but his head was turned slightly, giving the girl his full attention. He must have been speaking softly to the girl, because every now and then, Rin would nod and say something in return. It wasn't exactly the most intimate of scenes, but it was strangely endearing to see this powerful, sometimes-intimidating youkai lord basically tucking in a small human girl. Vanessa decided that she didn't want to intrude on their routine – she felt like she had already witnessed more than she should have – and was about to turn away when Rin caught her eye so she smiled and blew a kiss before turning to explore the rest of the suite.

Back in the narrow hall, Vanessa noticed that it extended farther than Rin's bedroom. She shrugged and continued to explore deeper into the suite. Eventually, she came across a second door, so obviously she had to open it. Beyond the circle of light from her lamp, Vanessa found another bedroom identical to what she had seen of Rin's room, except the futon was on a low frame instead of the floor. Almost the entire width of the wall behind the bed was a window with shuttered segments and light, flowing curtains and the wall that she shared with Rin contained a small fireplace. There was a small table next to the bed and a writing desk and bookcase on the right wall. Next to the door stood a large wardrobe. Curious, Vanessa opened the doors. Nearly all of the shelves and drawers were empty, but there was a thick white robe and a few lighter robes folded neatly on the top shelf. "Is this room acceptable?" Sesshoumaru's voice cut through the darkness, causing Vanessa to jump and nearly drop the lamp in her hand.

"Oh! You startled me. Is this where I'm staying? It's great!"

"Hm. Come then, we must speak." Sesshoumaru turned and strode out of the room and down the hall to the door she had seen in the first room. He waited for Vanessa to catch up after she set the lamp on the bedside table before opening the door. "The suite you now share with Rin is surrounded by a barrier so that the only youkai that may pass are this Sesshoumaru and Jaken," he said as he slid the door open.

"Jaken? Who is Jak –"

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" The squawk came from the room beyond.

"This is Jaken," Sesshoumaru said smoothly, all but ignoring the source of the voice. Vanessa scanned the room, but didn't see anyone until the voice spoke again and her eyes were forced down to the floor. She wasn't quite sure what to make of him except that he was very small and very green with large, bulbous yellow eyes and a beak-like mouth. At the moment Jaken was bowing at Sesshoumaru's feet, but had lifted his head to take in the new guest. That was when he began talking so quickly that Vanessa had a hard time understanding more than a few words. He said something that she knew to mean 'my lord' and said the word 'ningen' several times. _Ningen… that means 'human.' He must be talking about me!_

A sharp "Jaken" from Sesshoumaru silenced the little green man and sent him cringing into another bow. "This is Vanessa. She is a guest from another land and will be treated as such. She is unfamiliar with our tongue, but I will not have you speaking to her in the way I know that you do Rin. For now, she will be staying in the room next to Rin." He fixed Jaken with a glare as he finished the command and walked past him into the next room.

"H-hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken said sullenly. Clearly, this Jaken was one of those youkai that wasn't overly fond of humans.

"Leave us, Jaken"

Jaken bowed again and scurried out the door that Vanessa had just entered. Sesshoumaru stared after him for a moment before crossing the room to kneel at a low table like the one she had seen before. He looked at Vanessa expectantly so she followed suit and joined him, sitting on a cushion beside the table. "Would you like some tea?" he asked, lifting the pot off the table.

"Oh, yes please." Vanessa couldn't remember ever having Japanese tea, so she wasn't sure what to expect, but she thought it only polite to accept what was offered. Sesshoumaru poured a light-colored liquid into two cups and it was then that Vanessa was reminded that he had only one arm – how had she forgotten? She must have been staring in amazement that he had managed the teapot so well with a single hand because when he looked up again he smirked.

"I have had time to practice," he said dryly. She blushed as she took the cup that her host held out to her and turned her eyes down to the hot liquid.

"I'm sorry," Vanessa said, "I didn't mean to stare."

"I have not taken offense. There are more important matters to discuss."

Vanessa looked up and smiled gratefully before taking a sip of her tea. It was good, not as bitter as black tea. "So," she began, "When you ran off earlier, that had something to do with the saimyoushou, didn't it?"

"More than that, I encountered a messenger of the one who sent the saimyoushou. I believe he will try to use you to get to me – he has already tried to do so with Rin. It would seem that the shards of the jewel that he has collected are not enough, as he has been trying to absorb powerful youkai."

Vanessa almost choked on her tea. "Absorb? How can he absorb someone else?"

"This is a hanyou by the name of Naraku. He was once human, but gave his soul to a horde of youkai in return for power. Naraku is nothing more than a conglomeration of other youkai and as such has the ability to take the body and youkai abilities of another."

"You said that he's already tried to get to you, what happened?"

"One of his detachments, a wind witch called Kagura, took Rin as bait. As I fought Naraku to get her back, he tried to absorb me. Clearly, he failed and will do so again should he cross my path." Naraku seemed like a dangerous youkai if he would even attempt to take on someone like Sesshoumaru. Vanessa had never seen him fight – other than that time with Inuyasha, but he wasn't out to kill then – but she just knew that he was a force to be reckoned with.

"What do you mean by 'detachment?"

"Naraku created Kagura from his own flesh. She is a part of him and he controls her by his possession of her heart. There are also others and each have different uses to him."

"I see… So, what should we do?" Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her.

"We? You will remain within the palace gates unless accompanied by no other but myself, and I will continue to gather information on Naraku. You are safe here, he can't touch you." _Well… he _did _say that he would protect me. Besides, where would I go?_

"Okay. I'll do as you say." The taiyoukai gave her a look that suggested that he would not accept otherwise. _I'd hate to be his child._ Sesshoumaru had what some call 'the look' that brooked no argument. If he ever had children, Vanessa couldn't imagine them being anything other than obedient – at least in his presence – for no other reason than to avoid that 'look.'

They sipped their tea in silence for a few minutes before Vanessa let her curiosity take over again. "Why is Jaken the only other youkai allowed into Rin's rooms?"

"I do not trust the others."

"Because she's human… but, from what I could gather, Jaken isn't very fond of humans."

Sesshoumaru gave a small snort. "He would not dare harm her."

"Why not?"

"He was there when I found her," he said, "and he knows that I would not hesitate to destroy him." The casual way that he said it made it sound even more deadly and sent a small shiver down her spine. It told Vanessa that Sesshoumaru was more than simply Rin's guardian. Whether he would admit to it or not, he had as much as adopted the girl as his own child. It was just another bit of evidence that there was more to him than what Kagome and the others saw.

"Jaken watches over Rin when I cannot," he continued, sipping his tea. "He also sees to domestic duties in both of these suites. It is likely that you will find your belongings put away when you return to your room."

"Really? Oh I hope it's not an inconvenience." There was that look again, the look that he seemed to wear when she said something that he must not have expected. He never commented on it though. Vanessa often wondered what thoughts crossed his mind whenever Sesshoumaru let some expression flash across his face. He seemed to be a little more at ease now that he was in his own home, not _friendly_ exactly, but not frigid, though he had seemed to warm up to her just a little bit over the course of their traveling from Kaede's village. It gave Vanessa hope that he might be starting to consider her a friend and not just another ward.

Suddenly, the days of traveling caught up with Vanessa and she unsuccessfully fought a yawn. "I guess it's time for me to go to bed," she admitted somewhat reluctantly. Immediately, Sesshoumaru rose and held out his hand to help her up, which she accepted.

"I will accompany you to see that you have everything you might need." Vanessa thanked him and they made their way back to her room. Just as Sesshoumaru had said, her pack hung from a hook on the wardrobe and her clothes and other items were stored on the shelves inside. Even more surprising was that all of her dirty clothes were in a basket on the other side of the wardrobe. As though reading her thoughts, Sesshoumaru said, "Put your clothes in the basket with the rest and Jaken will come tomorrow to collect them for cleaning. A new kimono will be brought for you before breakfast."

"Oh, thank you." She hadn't been sure what to do with her clothes. Sure she could do her own laundry, but she was fairly certain that there were no washing machines anywhere nearby. She felt bad needing someone else to do her wash, but they would know better than she when it came to hand washing.

On a table near the window, Vanessa found a small basin and a pitcher of water with a few towels folded beside them. _Good, at least I can wash my face and brush my teeth before bed._ "I think I have all I need for the night," she stated, turning back to Sesshoumaru who was standing in her doorway.

"Good. I will come for you in the morning, and I will introduce you to some of my staff at breakfast." A nervous flutter appeared in the pit of Vanessa's stomach at the thought of meeting more youkai, but she did her best to squash it down.

"Do you think you could show me where I might take a bath beforehand? I'd like to make myself a little more presentable." Sesshoumaru nodded.

"I will come for you earlier then," he said, turning to leave.

"Good night, Sesshoumaru, and thanks again for letting me stay here," Vanessa called softly, causing the taiyoukai to pause and turn his head to face her.

"Good night." Then he was gone, extinguishing all but a few of the lamps on his way back to his room.

Vanessa picked up the lamp that she had left burning on the table and walked out to the main room and then onto the balcony. She wasn't sure if she would be able to get used to the lack of plumbing, but she would have to take what she could get. _When in Rome I guess…_ Back in her room a few minutes later, Vanessa went to the wardrobe and took one of the light robes she had found in there earlier. She changed, dropping her other clothes into the basket, and grabbed her toothbrush before going to the basin to wash her face. The water was cold, but it did the job of cleaning off the sweat and road dust. Finally refreshed and ready for bed, Vanessa set the lamp on the table again and pulled back the covers. Sliding between the sheets, she relished in the feel of a real bed beneath her; it seemed like she had been sleeping on the hard ground _forever_. She soon dimmed the lamp and was asleep just moments after her head hit the down pillow.

VvVvVvVvV

Leagues away in a dark castle, glittering crimson eyes stared into a circular mirror held by a small pale child. He had watched the trio pass through the gates of the lord of the west, but then, just as the walls blocked physical intruders, the mirror could no longer detect what lay beyond. His frustration didn't last long, though, and soon an evil smile spread across his face._ He thinks he can protect them behind those walls of his, but will he know to protect himself?_ He knew how to extend his reach beyond those walls – all it would take was a little time and planning. _Soon, Sesshoumaru, soon you will be mine._

A/N: and this concludes another segment of _Into the East_ – makes it sound like a soap opera, dunnit? Sorry, I'm in a weird mood tonight. Anyway… sorry for the wait. It might have been even longer, because just as I finished this chapter (at about 3:40am, I might add) my internet cut out, but all is well.

In the off chance that any of you didn't get the reference: there's a saying that goes "when in Rome, do as the Romans do." Anyway, pretty self-explanatory.

Also, just a note: I have nothing against people writing boy on boy action, but you won't find it in my stories. That's not how I write. So, just to set the record straight, in this story, Naraku's interest in Sesshoumaru is purely for the power he would gain by absorbing him, nothing sexual. Now I'm done.


	10. The Midnight Ride

Into the East

Chapter ten: The Midnight Ride

Posted: 3 July 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else is mine

Soft light assaulted Vanessa's eyelids, demanding entrance. From somewhere in her sleep-fogged mind the realization came that she was on the wrong side of the building for direct sunlight, but she decided that even this amount of light was not conducive to a proper sleeping situation. Groaning, she rolled over and tried to burrow into her pillow, fully intent on forgiving and forgetting the offensive light. "Vanessa." Oh. She knew that voice. It wasn't a bad voice to wake up to, but if she was hearing said voice, it meant that she was indeed waking up – which was a state of being that she would have rather put off entering for another few hours at least. "If you wish to have a bath, I suggest that you wake up. Now." With a final huff, Vanessa sat up and glared at her intruder.

"Fine, I'm up." She stretched and, after hearing a few satisfying pops as her bones adjusted themselves, she hauled herself out of the bed. Sesshoumaru stood opposite her and was opening the last of the shutters to allow light and a breeze to enter. He was fully dressed and looked as neat and clean as Vanessa had ever seen him. "How can you be so awake in the morning?" she complained, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Amusement danced in his golden eyes as he responded, "It is only natural to be awake when the sun is up."

"Hmm. Well, considering I'm half-way around the world from anything resembling my natural setting _and_ I'm not even in my natural time, I should be allowed to act a little _unnatural_."

"Perhaps, but not today. There is a new kimono for you on the stand by your door and a bathing robe in the wardrobe. Collect what you need and meet me in the hall. I will show you to the bathhouse, and when you return someone will be here to help you with your kimono."

"Thanks," Vanessa said, flashing him a sleepy smile as he closed the door.

Vanessa quickly changed into the thick bathrobe and stowed her bath supplies in her backpack before stepping up to the kimono that lay neatly folded on the stand by the door, just as Sesshoumaru had said. It was a soft pink silk that shined like satin. Lifting up the white and crimson under kimono and gold obi, she saw portion of an intricate design of green vines and crimson flowers embroidered into the pink fabric. From the little bit that she saw, she could tell that the quality was far above the violet silk that Sesshoumaru had bought in the village, but she shouldn't have expected anything less from the house of Sesshoumaru. Eventually, Vanessa replaced the layers of fabric that she had disturbed and stepped out into the narrow hall connecting her room to Rin's, but then she paused, puzzled. _Wait… he said…_ Shaking her head, she continued into the main room where Sesshoumaru was waiting. "Follow me," he said, pushing the door open. She followed him down the hall the way they had come last night and then down the stairs.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Vanessa said when they reached the landing, remembering what she was told about addressing him in public, and he paused, turning his head to acknowledge her. "I thought you said that no one else was allowed past the barrier, so… who's going to help me?" Sesshoumaru glanced around room at the few other youkai hurrying about their business and gave a small shake of his head before he turned away again and continued down the stairs. _Alright then… no talking where others can hear._ Vanessa shrugged and trailed after him, content to follow his lead. Maybe she'd ask him about it later. They turned around at the bottom of the stairs and went to the back of the main hall where Sesshoumaru came to a halt and held out a pair of straw sandals to her. "To walk to and from the bathhouse," he explained. She slipped them on and followed him out into the morning.

The view was amazing. Just below the wooden walkway surrounding the building was a rock garden with flowering plants growing out of ceramic pots. Beyond the rock garden was a huge field with scattered trees and a rock path winding between them. A small stream also cut through the grass with the occasional bridge connecting the paths on either side. She couldn't wait to explore this part of the grounds, but first: a bath. Sesshoumaru led her to a long low building to the right. Already, Vanessa could see wisps of steam trailing out of the door. Inside it was dark – there were no windows, but rather vents on the walls at the ceiling to let in some light. After her eyes adjusted to the dim light, Vanessa saw that the 'bathhouse' was actually a large hot spring enclosed in the one-room wooden building. Unglazed ceramic tile formed paths around the perimeter of the large room and led to different parts of the spring. The natural formation separated it into three segments, one pool was set above the others and further feeding the lower two with a small waterfall. Walls of hanging vines separated each of the segments and divided the farthest pool into smaller, more private bathing areas. There was a little something for everyone, whether the bather desired privacy or a more communal setting, like when Vanessa bathed with Kagome and Sango. Today, however, Vanessa would take a private bath, and Sesshoumaru seemed to know this intuitively, as he led her to the secluded section. There was a small table right next to the edge and steps carved into the stone leading into the water. It was a spa setting and Vanessa could tell, right then, that she would be making good use of this particular room of the palace. "Only youkai hare blocked by the barrier," Sesshoumaru said suddenly, interrupting Vanessa's musings and she turned to him. "Since Rin came to stay here, I have taken a small number of human females into my service." _Well… that's interesting._

"Why?"

"In certain instances, it is more appropriate for a female to perform a task than a male, and since Rin's room is supposed to remain a safe place for her in a palace full of youkai, a compromise had to be met. These humans do not live within these grounds; they have homes and families elsewhere, but they work in the kitchens unless they are need by Rin, and now you."

"Oh… Fair enough."

"Return to your room and dress when you finish. Then join me in my suite. I will be waiting with Rin."

"Okay, I'll be quick."

Sesshoumaru nodded and retreated out the door, leaving Vanessa to her bath. With the way the plants separated her from the rest of the bathhouse, she felt like she was in her own private spring. She didn't want to take too long soaking, though; people were waiting on her. She could soak at her leisure at another time. Vanessa washed quickly then wrapped herself in the robe again and put her hair in the towel. She repacked her backpack and slipped on the sandals to make her way back up to her room. Thankfully, there weren't too many people in the front hall – she'd have to ask Sesshoumaru later if he and Rin were the only permanent residents of this particular building, or if there were others. She had the feeling that Jaken had a room somewhere nearby, but where?

Once again on the third floor and in the proper suite, Vanessa was very nearly assaulted by the eager hands of two human women when she reached her door. They took her bag from her and hung it on the wardrobe – she'd have to put her bath stuff away later – and the sound of the door sliding shut behind her sounded incredibly like her fate being sealed by the hands of these two women. Vanessa had never been dressed by someone else before, but when they began taking her robe off of her shoulders, it seemed as though she was about to gain a new experience. _This is going to be… interesting._ She motioned for them to stop and wait just a moment, trying to find the word, but they got the idea. All she wanted to do was to be able to put her own underwear on and after that, they could have their way with her. They peered at the strange undergarments but then shrugged, surely they knew that Vanessa wasn't from around here… When Vanessa finally motioned them to continue, they pounced. She didn't have to worry about their words too much, because they just moved her body – mostly just her arms – into the positions they needed in order to fit the clothing just right. Before they started, they made her sit and then put tabi socks on her feet. She hadn't worn them while she was traveling, and found them slightly uncomfortable at first, but she wasn't about to complain. Next came the kimono. First was the white layer then over that the crimson and finally the much more detailed pink with sleeves that hung down to her knees. As they were draping layers on her, Vanessa was a little concerned at first that the heat would get to her as the day drew on, but she was surprised at how light the entire ensemble was. The first two layers were of a soft, light cotton material, while the outer layer was only slightly heavier silk. Once the layers were on and hung to their liking, one of the women held the opening closed while the other began to wrap the gold-colored obi around Vanessa's middle. There was some tugging and pulling behind her and finally, both women stood back to admire their handiwork. They smiled and nodded to one another, which only made Vanessa want to see how she looked even more. She opened the wardrobe door to look in the tall mirror and, despite the towel on her head, she was impressed with the selection and the skill with which they had dressed her. Turning to the side, she looked in amazement at an elaborate bow tied on her back at her waist; it was much better than anything she could have accomplished herself.

One of the women took that moment to reach out and try to remove the towel. She must have intended on doing Vanessa's hair, but Vanessa shook her head saying "Iie," to be sure they understood 'no.' She had resigned herself to them when it came to the clothes, but she could do her own hair, thank you very much. Vanessa held her hands up, trying to let them know that they could stay if they wanted, then bent forward slightly, so that her damp hair would fall over her face instead of down the back of the silk kimono. She untwisted the towel and shook her hair with it, scrubbing a little bit more wetness out. When she let the towel drop to the floor, she heard a gasp come from one of the women. _What now?_ Parting her hair so that she could see, Vanessa looked up and peered through her damp curls at the women standing before her. They were staring at her just as the servants had last night. More specifically, they were staring at her hair. _Ah… I have curls and I'm blonde._ These two women must have known that she was human and so, by everything that they knew, her hair shouldn't look like that.

Vanessa stood up straight, doing her best to try and keep the silk from getting damp, but motioned the women closer to inspect her 'strange' hair if they wanted to. One, who had slightly wavy hair herself, seemed to be the bolder of the two and stepped forward. She gently took a lock and ran her fingers through it. Suddenly the woman smiled and reached into one of her sleeves, producing a comb. She said a few words and made the motion of running the comb through Vanessa's hair. _Sure, why not?_ Vanessa shrugged and nodded. She was going to have to get the tangles out anyway and a comb was better for her hair than a brush. Immediately, the woman pulled her to a stool and sat her down so that she could begin her combing. Once she was finished, Vanessa's hair was somewhat straighter, but tangle-free. Before the women could do anything else, Vanessa stood and flipped her hair in front of her face again and began scrunching her curls back into place. When she was satisfied with their springiness, she went to her backpack and pulled out the bobby pins that she had worn the night she entered this time period. With a deft twist of her hand, Vanessa tucked her hair into a knot on the crown of her head, allowing just a few tasteful tendrils to escape. She took a few pins in her teeth and set the rest on a shelf before turning back to the mirror to begin strategically placing the pins so that her hair would hold its shape at least through breakfast. Once that was completed, Vanessa turned back to the women with a smile and they nodded their approval. Finally, she was ready to greet the day. _I really hope I don't have to go through all that _every_ morning._ She understood that first impressions mattered, but this routine could get old real fast. Vanessa gave the women a bow, thanking them in their own tongue, but as soon as she rose, they sank into deep bows of their own and seemed somewhat distressed that she should be thanking them. _Okay… so… we don't thank the help?_ She made a mental note to sit Sesshoumaru down sometime soon and get all the dos and don'ts of palace life. Vanessa dismissed the two women, unsure what else to do with them now that she was dressed, and went to meet Sesshoumaru.

Outside Sesshoumaru's door, Vanessa wasn't sure if she should just walk into his personal living space or not, so she did the only thing she could think of: she knocked.

VvVvVvVvV

After leaving Vanessa in the bathhouse, Sesshoumaru stopped a passing page and commanded him to summon two of the human women to Rin's suite. After the pup scurried off to do his bidding, Sesshoumaru was left with nothing to do until breakfast. True, it had been nearly two weeks since he and Rin set out from the palace, but they were not expected to return for another week at least. His objective had been to visit the border holdings; one thing that he had learned from his father was to make his presence known to human and youkai alike. Technically every village within his territory was under his protection, though the degree of that protection under Sesshoumaru's rule depended on the individual village's loyalty and the amount of trouble that village had caused him and its neighbors. It was not good practice to scatter his forces too thinly throughout the land saving villages that had broken his trust or had done nothing to earn it in the first place. Usually, allowing an uprising or attack to progress for a short time got the message across. On the other hand, he couldn't allow such disturbances to spread too deeply or the strategy would turn against him, adding fuel to the fire for those that might think him unworthy of leadership. Villages that knew and respected what he was capable of found that it was better all around not to give him reason to withdraw his support. Since he had not completed this particular tour, Sesshoumaru would have to send someone else to assess the status of the borderlands and then visit them himself at a later date.

Rin would likely sleep for another half hour or more and Vanessa's bathing and dressing would probably take as long or longer, so Sesshoumaru took his moment of relative freedom and went for a walk in his gardens. He loved the wildness of the forest outside his gates, but there was a certain calming quality that he only found in his private gardens. Even in his rooms, he was too easily found. No, when Sesshoumaru truly desired an escape without actually leaving the grounds, he retreated to these hidden sanctuaries. It was in one such garden that he intended to spend a few moments before returning for breakfast.

Sesshoumaru's target was the closest of his hidden gardens. It had been there for as long as he could remember but as far as he knew, he was the only visitor. As he stepped through the wall of trees, he breathed deeply and took in the familiar floral scent. Sesshoumaru first came across the small garden when he was very young. As a pup he had entertained the notion that perhaps the mother he had never known created this place, that she had left something behind for him to hold onto. It held a semblance of order that suggested that someone sometime had planned it. Now, however, it was simply his quiet refuge. He knelt in the soft grass and closed his eyes, listening to the wind as it whispered to the trees. Focusing on the soft sounds around him, Sesshoumaru took a few deep breaths, steeling himself and pushing the past week into the recesses of his mind. He was home now and there was a certain way that he had been trained all of his life to act; he had to get himself back into the mindset of the strong ruler that he was and he couldn't allow Vanessa to become a new weakness in the eyes of the other youkai. To the rest of the palace, she would be just what he said she was: a guest and a tutor.

Taking one last deep breath, Sesshoumaru rose smoothly to his feet and set of to take Vanessa to breakfast. Just as he set his foot on the first step up to his floor, he was intercepted. Someone called his name from the front doorway. "Sesshoumaru-sama! I heard that you returned last night, but we weren't expecting you to return for another week. Is it true that you were accompanied by a human woman?" _News certainly travels fast._

"What you have heard is correct, Saburo-san." Sesshoumaru turned to face the tiger youkai.

Saburo approached and bowed before continuing. "My lord, I have to ask… why?"

"Circumstances are complicated. I will formally introduce her at breakfast, and you will join me in my office afterward. There are certain matters which I must discuss with you."

"As you say, my lord." Sesshoumaru nodded his dismissal and resumed his climb up the stairs. Not long after he had settled himself on a cushion in his front room to wait, Rin came bouncing through the door, pausing only long enough to slide it shut behind her; he had long ago given her permission to enter his suite freely.

"Ohayou, Sesshoumaru-sama! Are you glad to be back?"

"It is good to be home," he responded, though he felt that he would be busier than ever for as long as Vanessa remained with him. "Do you remember what I told you last night?" Sesshoumaru had told Rin when he put her to bed last night that if anyone asked, she was to tell them that Vanessa was there to tutor and care for her. He had also made it clear that she might be in danger if anyone discovered her true origins. Despite the fact that Vanessa had no control over where or when she had traveled through the portal, there would be some who might seek to take advantage of her 'ability.' Rin didn't want anything to happen to her Nessa-neesan and had whole-heartedly agreed to do as he said. It wouldn't be difficult to keep up the illusion since Vanessa so naturally took to the roll.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama, I remember. Vanessa-sama is here to take care of me and to teach me," the girl recited proudly.

Sesshoumaru nodded his approval; he had recommended that they leave casual references for private settings and Rin had remembered. He opened his mouth to speak again, but a soft knock on the doorframe interrupted him. It wouldn't be the human servants, but then, why did Vanessa not simply enter? "Come," he said. The door slid open a bit and Vanessa poked her head in the room.

"Hi. I… didn't want to just barge in." Sesshoumaru shook his head.

"You are welcome to enter freely. You needn't knock."

"Oh," she said, opening the door further and stepping through, "thank you."

Sesshoumaru blinked. It wasn't the most formal of kimono, yet somehow Vanessa had given it new life. He was beginning to think that she could make any garment shine. She turned to close the door again and seemed oblivious to his stare. "That was an adventure, let me tell you," she said, turning back to face him.

"Adventure?"

"Yes, my… helpers were certainly excited about their work."

"Did they give you trouble?"

"Oh, no. They were fine. I've just never been dressed by someone else before."

"I see. Are you ready then?"

"I'm all set!" Vanessa flashed him a smile, though it didn't completely disguise her nervousness.

"All will be well. It is only a meal."

"Right." She took a deep breath, "Okay, shall we then?" Sesshoumaru nodded and rose, leading Vanessa and Rin out of the building and across the courtyard to the main dining hall and secretly wondering what the outcome of this seemingly simple meal would be.

VvVvVvVvV

Vanessa couldn't understand why she was so nervous. As Sesshoumaru said, 'it is only a meal.' Still, she couldn't help feeling like it was some sort of test and it was vital that she passed. Tests always made her feel queasy… On the other hand… she hadn't failed one yet. She didn't always do exceptionally well, but she never failed. Vanessa had to stifle a giggle at her analogy by clearing her throat, which made Sesshoumaru turn over his shoulder to look at her. Shaking her head, she turned her gaze to the grass beneath her feet and blushed. That was all she needed, to be caught laughing at nothing in the middle of the palace courtyard. _Great first impression… I'd be known as 'that crazy foreign girl.'_ Right then, Vanessa resolved that no matter what happened, she would do her best to make a good impression. She didn't want to make Sesshoumaru's life more difficult by making the rest think he was a fool for taking her in.

Suddenly they came to a halt. Vanessa was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she had hardly noticed they had entered a building. She looked up to find Sesshoumaru staring at her and behind him was a set of double doors, which she guessed led to their destination. "Is… something wrong?" she asked.

His face was expressionless, but he scanned the empty hall and answered, "I have business to attend to after breakfast. You may go where you like, but do not leave the gates. Food will be sent to your rooms for lunch."

"Oh… okay." _You knew he wasn't going to have much time…._ "Maybe Rin can show me the gardens," Vanessa suggested with a smile. Sesshoumaru nodded slowly then, as though a curtain dropped, a hardness developed in his eyes that she hadn't seen since she first encountered him. His entire demeanor shifted; suddenly he was wholly and completely lord and master of the palace. It was amazing – and unnerving. It was as though he had become an entirely different person from the one she had started to come to know.

"Come," he said, his voice flat and unrevealing, "it is time."

Rin chose that moment to take Vanessa's hand and smile up at her, a gesture for which she was immensely grateful. Sesshoumaru pushed open a pair of tall wooden doors and strode into the room with all of the regality that he possessed.

When Sesshoumaru said that she was meeting _some_ of his staff… Vanessa wasn't expecting to find close to twenty people on the other side of the door, chatting amiably around a large table. The moment Sesshoumaru stepped into the room everyone fell silent and stood. He nodded his acknowledgement, permitting them to retake their seats and stepped away from Vanessa. All eyes turned to her and she suddenly felt very exposed. "This is Vanessa, a guest of this House," Sesshoumaru announced to the room, drawing their eyes back to him for a moment. "She has come from far away across the eastern sea and is unfamiliar with our tongue, but she is learning." Someone in the back interrupted, but Vanessa didn't catch what he said. Immediately, Sesshoumaru fixed a glare on the source of the voice. _Glad I'm not that person._ "This Sesshoumaru is well aware of the fact that she is human. While she is here, she will watch over Rin and act as her tutor. Harassment of her will not be tolerated." Vanessa watched him scan the room once more before he strode to the head of the table. A light tug on her hand by Rin prompted her to follow and take the seat to Sesshoumaru's left then Rin sat beside her.

As Vanessa seated herself, conversations around the table resumed and the man directly across from her offered a kind smile and inclined his head to her. "Douzo yoroshiku, Vanessa-san," he said. She wasn't quite sure what he said, but when neither Rin nor Sesshoumaru gave a negative reaction, she went out on a limb: "Arigatou," she said, returning his smile. It seemed to be the right response, since he nodded and turned to Sesshoumaru.

"Vanessa, this is Saburo," Sesshoumaru said, indicating the man who had just spoken to her. She nodded, but noticed the puzzlement displayed on Saburo's face. _Strange…_ A moment later, Sesshoumaru turned to Saburo and said softly, "Vanessa-san has been teaching Rin her language." _He must have spoken in English before…_ The disadvantage of knowing the 'meaning' behind everything that Sesshoumaru said was that she didn't know when he was speaking in English or Japanese. As the youkai around the table began filling their dishes with food, Sesshoumaru turned to Rin. "Rin," he said, "fill a plate for Vanessa-san." The girl nodded and took Vanessa's plate, scooping some rice with some sort of stew over the top and some pieces of fruit before handing it back." Vanessa glanced over at Sesshoumaru. It seemed like he was avoiding speaking directly to her – except for that introduction, but why? Then suddenly realization dawned on her. _Of course, the bands… They wouldn't have known that we could understand each other…_ That could be useful. She cast another glance at Sesshoumaru and caught an almost imperceptible nod; he must have been watching her, gauging her reaction to everything going on.

Resigning herself to the fact that she wouldn't really be able to participate in conversation, Vanessa looked around the table while she progressed through her meal. It was good; obviously Sesshoumaru trusted Rin to pick out something that she would like. As she scanned the table, she noticed a wide variety of types of food. There were some meat dishes that were clearly in varying degrees of 'cooked,' a surprising amount of vegetable dishes, rice and a few types of fruit. It made sense though… if youkai eating habits followed their animal traits at all, then not all of them would like strictly meat, cooked or not, and some of their tastes might have shifted to include some more 'human' types of food. It was interesting. Here was an entire race of beings that she knew next to nothing about. When she had no one really to talk to, suddenly their eating habits became fascinating. For the most part, Vanessa kept her attention on her meal, she didn't want to be considered rude by staring, but every now and then she would discreetly glance up at the other youkai seated around the table. More often than not, she would catch one or more staring at her. She didn't mind _too_ much… after all, she _was_ the resident foreigner, and the fact that she looked completely different from any human they had ever seen made her something of an oddity. Still… didn't their parents teach them that it was impolite to stare?

Throughout the meal, Vanessa heard pieces of Saburo and Sesshoumaru's conversation, but Sesshoumaru tended to keep his answers short, never disclosing too much information. He didn't talk to anyone but Saburo though, and no one tried to talk to him either. It seemed as though it was simply understood that he wasn't the social type, but they all respected him– or feared him. It was obvious in the way that everyone at the table deferred to him. Just for a moment, Vanessa entertained the thought of what would happen if Sesshoumaru suddenly ordered everyone to stand on their heads. They'd probably look at him as though he had grown a second head, but they would jump to it just the same. She had to cut that train of thought off at the station though, just to make sure that her fear of being dubbed 'that crazy foreign girl' didn't come to pass. In order to distract herself from her errant thoughts, Vanessa discreetly observed Saburo from across the table. He was obviously youkai, but she had no way of knowing what type. He had pointed ears like Sesshoumaru and, also like Sesshoumaru, he had golden eyes but darker – almost a light, honey brown. Ginger hair hung just below his shoulders with streaks of black at his temples. There were no facial markings like Sesshoumaru had, but he wore a small braid behind his right ear with a few beads and what looked like fangs woven into it. He didn't wear any armor, but his clothes were the same style as Sesshoumaru's except they were black with white stripes on his sleeves. His face was kind and suggested that not all youkai hid their thoughts behind a mask like Sesshoumaru did. Vanessa was glad that she had seen at least something of another side of the taiyoukai, or she might have been frightened of him.

Eventually, Sesshoumaru rose from the table, giving the rest permission to leave if they liked. Rin immediately stood and asked her Sesshoumaru-sama if she could take Vanessa out to the gardens now. He nodded and turned to follow as Rin took Vanessa's hand and tugged her toward the door. A glance over her shoulder told Vanessa that Saburo had joined Sesshoumaru in their trek across the courtyard again. All four entered Sesshoumaru's building, but where Saburo and Sesshoumaru went upstairs, Vanessa and Rin continued to the back door and into the sprawling garden behind the building. Once out in the peace of the gardens, Vanessa heaved a sigh of relief; as far as she could tell, no one wanted to do her in just yet, and Saburo, the only one Sesshoumaru deemed worthy to converse with, seemed to accept her presence. That had to count for something, right?

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru closed the door to his office behind Saburo. They could speak more freely there than just about anywhere else on the palace grounds, due to the thick walls and doors. Their voices would be blocked even from keen youkai hearing. He motioned for the tiger to take a seat and sat opposite him. "What do you make of the others' reactions to the human woman?"

"They did not seem openly aggressive. I think they will tolerate her for now. Most seemed more curious than anything else. She has a strange appearance, where did you say she was from?" Sesshoumaru hesitated for a moment.

"This information is for your ears alone. You are not to tell anyone else."

"Yes, my lord. You have my word."

"Vanessa is not from Japan, nor is she from the continent. Far to the east, across the sea, lies another continent. It is from there that she has traveled, but that is not all." This was the part that made Sesshoumaru hesitate. Would his most trusted advisor question his sanity for suggesting that Vanessa came from another time? Saburo was closer to most of the residents who might come in contact with the woman. He would be able to tell Sesshoumaru what rumors began and from where, so he would also need to know everything to be sure that the rumors might be diverted from the complete truth. "Vanessa is not from this time," he stated simply.

"What do you mean 'this time'? Surely she is mortal. What other time could she be from?"

"She is from the future… nearly five hundred years," Sesshoumaru explained.

"I see…" Saburo stared at him, meeting his eyes and searching in that peculiar way of his. Whether he was looking for untruth or madness, Sesshoumaru wasn't sure, but whatever it was, he didn't seem to find it. "It is as you say…" he said, puzzlement coloring his tone. "How is this possible?"

"Of that I am not certain. It seems to have taken place on her continent, though somehow she arrived here. The way has been closed from this side and she does not know how to return."

"May I ask… why did you bring her back here? Could she not have stayed in a human village?"

"Perhaps it was mere curiosity, or perhaps a laps in judgment, but whatever it was, it is clear that humans would not have been able to keep her safe, nor would they have the resources to find a way to return her to where she belongs. I feel that she must be returned safely to her own time or the balance will be more disrupted than it already is."

"Interesting. You may be right. If I may be frank, my lord, I believe the woman will be good for Rin. The child needs the influence of a human female."

"That occurred to me as well. They are quite taken with one another already."

"And… if there is no way to send her home?"

Without hesitation, Sesshoumaru responded, "She will remain here to care for Rin."

"I see. Does anyone else know the truth about her?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I paid a visit to my… half-brother, shortly after I happened across Vanessa. A member of his party knows something of time slips, and they thought to try to help Vanessa return home, but they failed. The hanyou can hardly keep a monk, a miko and a taijiya safe, let alone an unarmed foreign human. I did not trust her protection in his hands, so I returned with her as a companion for Rin."

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you said that she is not familiar with our tongue… How is it that you convinced her to come with you? Does she not know what we are? She should be frightened, but I could detect nothing but a bit of nervousness and a great deal of curiosity from her."

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to glance down at the ribbon that allowed him to communicate with the woman; that was one detail that he would keep to himself. It might become even more useful than it was already. "It has been interesting, difficult at times. I believe she sees this Sesshoumaru as a savior of sorts… Our first encounter involved the elimination of a certain hostile youkai. Inuyasha's miko knows her language and asked her if she would prefer to come here or stay with the hanyou; she chose to come here."

"Interesting that she would wish to follow you and not stay with someone who understands her."

"I have no other explanation for her actions, but she seemed to know nothing of youkai when she arrived here. Something happens in the next five centuries that causes humans to become the dominant race. This is… unsettling."

"It is, but it would explain why she doesn't seem to fear us."

They had been speaking for quite some time already, but they had yet to broach the subject of Naraku, a more pressing matter in Sesshoumaru's mind than the strange human in their midst. His protective side didn't like divulging so much information that might be used against her, but he had to trust Saburo. The tiger youkai had an uncanny ability of reading others. It was more than just detecting changes in scent; somehow he could catch minute variations in behavior or expression, changes that would very likely be missed by the casual eye. Saburo was a valuable asset, and had always served Sesshoumaru well. "Saburo-san, there is another matter, one that I want you to look into. We encountered one of Naraku's puppets on the journey here. He is planning something, and I want to know what it is and to what purpose, but be discreet." If anyone knew as much about what happened within the western lands as Sesshoumaru did, it was Saburo and he would have the time to seek out more information.

All too soon, a soft knock sounded on the door: it was a pair of servants bringing their lunch. Sesshoumaru and Saburo broke off their conversation and let them lay out the platters they were burdened with. When they were finished, they stood back and waited for any further instructions. "Tell the cook to prepare a roasted hen with vegetables and rice. Have that and a plate of fruit brought to Rin's room." With the order placed for the humans, Sesshoumaru waved the servants away. They silently bowed and beat a hasty retreat back to the kitchens. It wasn't uncommon for food to be sent up to Rin's room; he knew that the humans working in the kitchen would be sure that the food was prepared to human tastes and brought up. If Rin and Vanessa were still out, the women would light a fire to keep the meal warm. He tried to make it a point to have at least one meal with Rin, usually breakfast or lunch. It wasn't often that he actually ate in the big dining hall; usually he had food brought up to his room or to the library, but today it was important both to introduce the new human resident and to make clear his expectations. He would probably have to make an appearance there for a few other meals throughout the week, though he preferred to avoid the crowds. Evening meals were the worst. They were reserved for officials, representatives of other lands and other visitors to the palace. As master of the House, he was obligated to sit through hours of mindless chatter and flattery from sycophants hoping to gain his favor. Occasionally some form of entertainment or another broke the tedium, but mostly the experience was slow, mind-numbing torture. Sesshoumaru sighed inwardly. As his first official day back at the palace, he would have to be present at dinner, but he wouldn't make Vanessa sit through it. It would be far too tempting to speak with her, and for the time being, he wanted their ability to communicate to be kept secret.

"If I might make a suggestion, Sesshoumaru-sama…" Sesshoumaru glanced up from his meal and raised an eyebrow, waiting for Saburo to continue. "You arrived late last night, and I would imagine that Vanessa-san might feel a little wary around any of the rest of us…"

"Get to the point."

"Since she is a guest and new to the palace, and her host has been busy the entire morning, I thought it might be appropriate for him to offer her a tour of her temporary home before dinner."

Sesshoumaru stared at Saburo for a long moment, trying to discern any hidden meaning in his comments. "Brief me on events since I left the palace. When you are finished, I will consider your suggestion." In truth, Sesshoumaru had been wondering when he might have a spare moment to show Vanessa around, but he had duties to attend to. Saburo nodded then dug through a stack of parchment and scrolls and withdrew a sheet. "Since you left…"

VvVvVvVvV

Vanessa had been at the palace for over a week and finally felt as though she could wander through the halls of the expansive palace without getting lost. It was a vast improvement from the day Sesshoumaru had given her a tour. She hadn't thought that he would have time spare for her, but around mid-afternoon he had found her and Rin out in the gardens again and offered to give her a formal tour himself. He didn't have more than a couple hours to spare since he had to be at the meal hall again for dinner, but he assured her that she didn't have to go – not unless she wanted to. Vanessa thought about it; dinner seemed to be more important than breakfast had been, and Sesshoumaru seemed even less thrilled to be there than had been that morning. She knew they wouldn't be able to talk without giving away their secret, but what kind of friend would she be if she didn't at least try and give some kind of silent moral support? "I'll go," she had told him and just had to laugh at the surprise in his eyes. By the time the meal was over, Vanessa could understand why only his strong sense of duty kept him from avoiding the dining hall at all costs. She knew that he didn't like mindless small talk – that much was evident from their conversations on the road. Even though she understood a fraction of the conversations going on around her, and even though Sesshoumaru's face remained perfectly neutral, she could tell that he was bored out of his mind. Vanessa herself was mildly entertained with trying to guess what the others were saying, but she could help sympathizing with the taiyoukai. It was the same feeling that had prompted her to take that walk that ultimately transported her into this world in the first place. Later that night, once they were back in the comfort of Sesshoumaru's sitting room, he didn't say it in so many words, but he seemed to have appreciated her presence. That alone made up her mind to take a few more meals with him in the hall throughout the week, but other than those meals and the few he took in his suite, Vanessa hadn't seen him more than the hour or two before bed that he spent talking with her and Rin.

Now, Vanessa lay on a blanket on the wooden balcony staring up at the stars. It was a warm night and relatively still; the light breeze didn't quite reach her in her bedroom so she thought she'd go out and enjoy the clear night until she finally felt sleepy. Rin had fallen asleep probably an hour ago, but Sesshoumaru still hadn't returned. A meeting after dinner probably held him up – it wasn't the first time, but this was the latest he'd been away since they had arrived at the palace. Maybe it was that break in their routine that kept her awake… or maybe it was just the heat. Either way, sleep seemed to elude her tonight. Vanessa sighed and continued her search for constellations that she recognized. She didn't know the names of most of them, but she thought she could pick out the shape of quite a few. Then suddenly the door separating Sesshoumaru's suite from the one Vanessa was in slid open. She turned her head toward the door when she heard Sesshoumaru's soft footsteps on the hardwood floor as he crossed the main room, but he stopped just before entering the hallway that led to her room and Rin's and turned toward her instead. "You are still awake," he commented as he approached the balcony. Vanessa sat up and peered up at him where he stood in the doorway.

"Yeah… I guess I couldn't sleep." She saw him glance down at a bundle in his hand, his eyes shining in the moonlight.

"Do you feel sleep coming any time soon?"

"To be honest? No. I still don't think I'm used to the heat." He was silent for a while then backed into the room and set the bundle down on the table.

"Put these on and then come to me."

"Okay…" Puzzled and curious, Vanessa stood and gathered up the blanket before re-entering the building. Sesshoumaru was already crossing the doorway into his room so she took the bundle with her and headed back to her own room. If he had been anyone else, she would have sworn he was trying to seduce her.

After lighting the lamp on her bedside table, Vanessa folded the blanket and set it aside before untying the bundle Sesshoumaru had left. They were clothes. She lifted up one piece and shook the folds out. It was a dark green shirt – _haori_, her mind supplied – with sleeves that widened toward the wrist to form a sort of bell-shape. There was a white layer that went underneath and finally she came to the lower half of the ensemble. It looked like a long, black, pleated skirt, but upon closer inspection, she saw that it was a pair of wide-legged pants… _hakama_. It seemed strange for him to ask her to get dressed in the middle of the night, but she complied. Vanessa quickly took off the light yukata that she had been wearing and layered on the top pieces. The ties on the hakama gave her a little trouble at first, but she got them figured out. Once she was dressed, she took a quick look in her mirror and hurried down the hall to meet Sesshoumaru.

Slipping quietly through the door, Vanessa found Sesshoumaru sitting on a cushion and leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. He had shed his armor and the fluffy fur that he usually carried over his shoulder and looked more relaxed than she had seen him in the past week. He had to have known she was there, but Vanessa still called softly to him, "Sesshoumaru?" Immediately, he opened his eyes and stood.

"Come with me," he said.

"What? Now? It's the middle of the night."

"I was going to wait until morning, but if you are not sleepy there is something that I wish for you to see."

"Oh… o-okay. Well… lead the way, I guess." Sesshoumaru nodded and strode out the door.

Once they were a few dozen yards away from the back door, Sesshoumaru came to a halt and slipped his arm around Vanessa's waist. She stared up at him. "Um… what are you doing?"

Mischief flashed in his eyes and he said, "Hold on." It was all the warning she had before the ground suddenly fell away from her feet, and with a squeak of surprise, she threw her arms around him and clung for dear life, burying her face in the folds of his clothing. What was this fascination of his with surprising her with flying? A full minute passed before Vanessa could tear her face away from the protection of Sesshoumaru's silk clothing and look around. The moonlit landscape slid past lazily below them, but they were moving much faster than they would have if they were walking. And they were up so _high_! Vanessa glanced down to find a cloud of… something… supported them, but the vertigo induced by that action made her head spin and she unconsciously leaned against Sesshoumaru – the only stable object at hand. His arm tightened minutely around her. "I will not let you fall," he said, and Vanessa could feel his voice rumble through his chest. She had never been so close to him for so long – he didn't seem to like, or wasn't comfortable with close contact so she was understandably surprised when he put his arm around her. Granted, it was just to keep her from falling while they flew who-knows-where, but it was surprising nonetheless. The sudden closeness also made her aware of something else: his scent. She had never really noticed before, but it made her think of thunderstorms and snow, and there was a certain woodsy-mountain quality that, all together, gave the impression that he was wild and untamable. Vanessa couldn't imagine it any other way. She had to find a distraction before her thoughts turned traitorous. Clearing her throat, she loosened her death grip on Sesshoumaru's waist slightly and tilted her head to face him. "So…" she said, "where are we going?" He glanced down at her but didn't answer. However, shortly thereafter they began to descend.

Vanessa couldn't think of a time that she was more relieved than when her feet finally touched land again. She trusted Sesshoumaru, but there was just something about having nothing but a cloud – a cloud! – beneath her feet that made her a little nervous. Releasing him and taking a step away, Vanessa took a look around. They stood in an open field next to a wall of trees. She couldn't imagine why he had brought her here and was about to ask just that when Sesshoumaru reached into his nearly empty left sleeve and produced an apple. "Do not eat it," he said with a smirk and handed the fruit to her. Now Vanessa was just plain confused; he had shown her the stables already, but they weren't nearly this far out. She figured that it would have taken about an hour to walk the distance that they had just flown in a few minutes.

"Where are we?" she asked, but Sesshoumaru just turned back to the trees and gave a long low whistle. He cocked his head a little, as though listening, and Vanessa turned toward the trees and waited; she knew her hearing was nothing to match the youkai lord's and would probably not hear whatever it was that he was waiting for until long after he did.

After a minute or two, Vanessa heard the unmistakable sound of hoof beats. She glanced from the apple in her hand to Sesshoumaru. This felt too much like the story she had told him about the first time she saw a horse, so what sort of horse did he keep this far from the stable? Slowly, two dark shapes emerged from the trees. They looked like horses, but their bodies were too bulky somehow, though she couldn't tell exactly what was wrong. The creatures were almost invisible against the inky darkness of the forest, and as they stepped out of the shadows, Vanessa saw that it was because their hides were as black as coal. Their eyes, however, were a brilliant, glittering blue that shone in the moonlight. The bulk of their bodies were still hidden in shadow when Sesshoumaru spoke. "Vanessa, this is Kaminari," he said, indicating the larger of the two, "and his daughter Shizu. Come into the moonlight," he then told the horses, "I would like for you to meet Vanessa… a… friend… of mine." Shocked, Vanessa stared at him. Sure, he had opened up to her… a little, but he had yet to tell her that he thought of her as a friend. It sent a warm tingle through her and she couldn't help but smile at him. So wrapped up in her 'break-through' was she that she almost missed what was happening before her. Kaminari and Shizu stepped out into the moonlight and gave her a horse-bow, spreading wide their huge, black… feathery… wings. _Wings? They've got wings?_

VvVvVvVvV

It was during another obscenely long dinner that Sesshoumaru had gotten the idea that Vanessa might like to meet the winged horses. Thinking of how best to introduce them occupied his mind throughout the remainder of the meal and even into the update meeting afterward. Over the past two centuries, Sesshoumaru had become quite skilled at paying just enough attention to respond when appropriate. The rest of his mind could effectively tune out everything he didn't need to know… which, surprisingly, turned out to be a great deal of the content in many of his conversations. He made a stop on his way back to his rooms to find some clothing for Vanessa that was appropriate for riding. The plan was that he would simply leave the clothes in her room and take her out to meet the horses in the morning, but when he found her wide awake on the balcony he thought she might like a night ride. It was strange. Sesshoumaru felt… bad that he didn't have much time for her. He felt as though he was neglecting his newest guest and he wanted to do something she might like.

Vanessa was particularly amusing during the short flight to the meeting place at the back of the field behind Sesshoumaru's building. A strange combination of emotions rolled off of her, everything from fear to curiosity to satisfaction. Sesshoumaru half-wondered what was going on in her mind, but before he could think too much on it, they had arrived.

The winged horses had lived in the western lands since before Sesshoumaru's father took control. An agreement had been struck long ago that the horses would lend their scouts when needed in return for a peaceful place to live undisturbed. Occasionally, Sesshoumaru came out here to visit with the elusive creatures; even after so many centuries, few residents of the palace knew of their existence. Their leader, Kaminari, was always the one to answer his call and often brought his daughter Shizu along. Tonight was just such a night. A few minutes after Sesshoumaru announced his presence with a whistle, Kaminari and Shizu approached. They were a little wary around the newcomer, but neither Sesshoumaru, nor his father before him, had ever brought harm upon them so they approached as the taiyoukai requested.

After introducing Vanessa, a distinctly feminine voice invaded Sesshoumaru's mind – and seemed to cut through Vanessa's shock at discovering their wings. _"It's nice to meet you… Vanessa."_ Sesshoumaru snapped his gaze to the young mare standing beside her father. Shizu had been named as such because she had never spoken, not even to her father. It was thought that perhaps she couldn't communicate in any other way besides the typical horse methods, but here, the young female had spoken directly to Vanessa. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Vanessa searching for the source of the 'voice' that she heard. Kaminari was also staring intently at his daughter. Surely he was wondering what was so special about this human that she would talk to her and not to her own family. She even giggled and went on to say, _"No no, you are not crazy."_ Could she read another's passive thoughts too? That particular ability was not unheard of, but also not common. The horses normally could only read what the other wanted them to, and few outside the species could communicate with them in the same manner. To the casual observer it would seem like a one-sided conversation, being one half verbal and the other mental.

"Curious," Sesshoumaru said softly, mostly to himself, but Vanessa caught it.

"…What is?" she asked, confusion evident in her tone.

"Shizu… has never spoken before now," he explained, turning to the woman who was now frowning slightly at him.

"What do you mean 'speak'…? That voice… it was you?" she asked, now turning to Shizu. The mare nodded her head then ducked shyly behind her father. _That must be it,_ Sesshoumaru thought. _It wasn't that she _couldn't_ speak… It was just that she was too terribly shy to._ Now that he thought about it, Sesshoumaru remembered times when she acted the same as she did tonight, hiding behind her father, but she was just a young filly then and he thought that it might have been some sort of social behavior among the horses.

"Shizu… would you like an apple?" Vanessa held out her hand and offered the apple that Sesshoumaru had given her. Shizu lifted her head and swiveled her hears forward.

"_I would please,"_ she said, ruffling her feathers a little before stepping toward the human.

Kaminari turned his head toward the taiyoukai. _"Sesshoumaru-sama, who is this human?"_ he said for Sesshoumaru's mind alone.

"Vanessa comes from another time and place," Sesshoumaru responded softly, not wanting to disturb the females. "She has only been in the palace for a week and barely knows our tongue, yet already she has won over several of the other youkai here."

"_You included, my lord?"_

"Perhaps… to an extent."

"_I wonder… How is it that Shizu can understand that strange language the human… Vanessa speaks?"_

Sesshoumaru thought for a moment, watching the two females talk. "It may have something to do with her ability to read thoughts." It was a similar principle to the charm that connected him to Vanessa.

"_I can't believe it…"_ Kaminari mused, _"After all these years, a mortal woman was the one to finally open her up."_

"Indeed." What was it about Vanessa that made someone _want_ to talk to her? In a way Sesshoumaru was like Shizu; he had shared more with the woman in the past two weeks than he had with anyone else in the last two centuries.

"_So, what brings you out here in the middle of the night, Sesshoumaru-sama?"_

"I had thought to wait until morning, but she was still awake. I thought you might also be, so I brought her early. She is a guest in my House indefinitely, but cannot speak easily with anyone else – until Shizu, that is. Rin is her only companion and I thought she might enjoy meeting some of the more interesting residents of my lands. Do you mind?"

Kaminari shook his head. _"If I did, I wouldn't dare voice my objections now. Vanessa has done in a few short minutes what no one else has ever been able to do. I am eternally in her debt."_

"I believe that she will want to continue to visit with your daughter in the future. Rin will likely accompany her during the day, but I will be sure that they are discreet." Kaminari only nodded. His attention had turned to the females again. Shizu was lowering herself to the ground so that Vanessa could mount.

"Are you sure this is ok?" Sesshoumaru heard the woman say.

"_Of course. I wouldn't have offered otherwise," _Shizu responded. _"Sit behind my wings and lean forward."_ Vanessa complied, wrapping her arms around the mare's neck as she stood again. _"Hold on!"_ Sesshoumaru had to smirk; he had given the same warning before he had taken to the sky with Vanessa. With a few leaps forward and a great down stroke of her wings, Shizu was airborne, the human on her back laughing in delight.

"_Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama,"_ Kaminari said softly into Sesshoumaru's mind, _"Thank you for bringing my daughter such happiness."_

VvVvVvVvV

It was pure freedom; the sky was literally the limit on the back of Shizu. Vanessa could feel the powerful muscles rippling beneath her as she was propelled through the sky. _"I knew you'd like it,"_ Shizu said into her mind.

"I'm curious, Shizu," Vanessa said, "do you hear thoughts all the time? Or do you have to work to read them?"

"_I can block them out… Actually, I should block them unless I have permission. I'm sorry if I've overstepped my bounds…"_ the mare said softly.

"Oh, no, don't worry about it. It's just that it's strange to know that someone can see into my mind."

"_Now that I've actually spoken to you… I think it would be wrong to intrude on your thoughts. I won't anymore unless you ask me to."_

"Thank you, Shizu. May I ask why you've never spoken before?"

"_I… was scared."_

"What were you scared of? I think your voice is beautiful."

"_You do? My father is the tribe leader. I could hear what everyone was thinking ever since I could remember. They judged me before I ever said anything and I didn't want to say anything to disappoint him. So I kept quiet."_

Vanessa laid her cheek against Shizu's neck as they drifted in lazy circles high above Sesshoumaru and Kaminari and stroked her soft hair. "Why did you speak to me then? I'm a stranger."

"_I don't really know. You're different somehow. I felt like I could trust you."_

"Will you speak to your father now? I think he would like that."

Shizu began drifting lower, slowly returning to the ground. _"I don't know… What would I say?"_

"Anything you want to! Just be honest with yourself and nothing you say could disappoint him."

"_You think so?"_

"I know so." Vanessa stifled a yawn, "and I think sleep is finally catching up with me."

"_I'll take you down now… Vanessa?"_

"Yes?"

"_Do you think you could come visit again sometime?"_

"I'd love to!"

"_Really?"_ Shizu seemed genuinely shocked. _"Whenever you want to, just start walking out here and I'll know you're coming and meet you."_

"Sounds like a plan. Sometimes I don't have much to do during the day, so I'll try and make it out here a few times a week, okay?"

"_I'd like that."_

When Shizu touched down again, Vanessa slid off her back and gave her shoulder a final pat. "Thank you for the ride, Shizu. It was wonderful." Then she turned to Sesshoumaru, "I'm ready if you are," she said, "I think these two might have a lot to catch up on." With one last wave, Sesshoumaru took her to the sky again and Vanessa thought she heard a tentative mind-voice softly say, _"Papa…?"_ She couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru. I had a great time."

"Good."

"So… We're friends now, are we?"

"Hm." _Non-committal as always._ But she knew the truth now and hid a small smile. She was beginning to wonder if this late-night trip might have something to do with him feeling bad for not having time for her. She understood that he was busy, but the gesture was nice, and now she had someone else that she could talk with.

The return 'flight' seemed to take a lot less time than the first trip and before she knew it, they were back upstairs and walking to their respective bedrooms. It was _really_ late and Vanessa hoped that Sesshoumaru would be kind enough to let her sleep in the next morning. She just knew that she would dream of flying through the stars and hoped that those dreams weren't interrupted too early.

A/N:

I had to introduce some new characters, so I thought I'd dedicate a chapter to doing just that.

Douzo yoroshiku: Nice to meet you (had to look that up, hope it's right!)

(I like making my characters' names mean something)

Kaminari: Thunder

Shizu: Quiet one


	11. Visitors from Afar

A/N: I've gotten the feeling over the past 2 chapters that this story needs some good old-fashioned conflict… And I know that I alluded to some Naraku-trouble, but that resulted in having two other ideas – possibly related, possibly not – float around in my head. The wait _this time_ was trying to decide which one to go with. The first was infinitely simpler than the other, but after reading several comments that said that the reviewer liked how much detail I write… here's the beginning of the path that I finally chose… and don't be turned off by the slight OOC-ness. It's brief, and all for a purpose, I promise!

Into the East

Chapter eleven: Visitors from afar

Posted: 27 July 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else is mine

"Okay. Put your hand here on my back – like this."

Sesshoumaru couldn't for the life of him fathom what had come over him. He was beginning to wonder if he had completely taken leave of his senses. _This is ridiculous._ He never voiced his objections, though. As weeks at the palace turned into a full moon cycle and still no word from Inuyasha's group, more specifically the old miko or the monk, it began to feel as though Vanessa would be a permanent resident in his home. In truth, he hadn't made a great effort in finding a solution. The more they talked and the more time they spent in one another's company, the more Sesshoumaru felt his attachment to the woman growing, and the more a nagging voice in the back of his mind kept telling him to distance himself from her. Part of him wanted to surrender to that voice, to retreat into the safe, comfortable, icy structure that had been his life before Vanessa, and better yet – before Rin. But the rest of him wanted to find out what it was about this woman that seemed to make him _want_ to see her happy. She was worse than Rin! He was finding it more and more difficult to deny her the few requests that she made of him… which brought Sesshoumaru to his present situation.

Vanessa had asked if she could watch him practice that morning and since he didn't see any harm in it, he allowed her to come. Most of his household had grown so accustomed to her presence – both by his side and not – that they hardly took notice of her anymore and none had yet made any threatening motions toward her. Once inside the dojo, Sesshoumaru moved to one wall to retrieve a practice katana while Vanessa took a seat on a bench against the opposite wall. This morning he would spar with Saburo and it would be strictly a test of their skills with a blade. The tiger youkai did not have all of the inherent powers that Sesshoumaru's bloodline carried but made up for it with his agility and mastery of the sword. He was one of the few residing at the palace that Sesshoumaru found to be any match to his own skill. The taiyoukai sparred with him, not only to keep himself sharp, but also to improve his chief advisor's skill. Though Jaken kept watch over the happenings of palace life when he was abroad, Saburo ultimately made decisions in his stead and had to be strong to hold his position if trouble should arise while Sesshoumaru was away.

Moments after Vanessa and Sesshoumaru arrived, Saburo entered the dojo and paused to greet Vanessa before selecting a sword. "Greetings, Sesshoumaru-sama," he said with a bow.

"Saburo-san." Never one for pleasantries, Sesshoumaru moved right into position to begin warm-up exercises. As he fell into the routine, he idly wondered if Inuyasha ever practiced his technique with Tetsusaiga. _Waste of a good weapon._ He knew full well that Tetsusaiga was the only thing keeping his half-brother's demon side in check, but that didn't mean that he had to like his father's choice of who received which fang. He could feel his long-standing resentment bubbling just under the surface and knew that Saburo would not have an easy time during their spar today... not that he ever really gave him an 'easy' workout. A glance to Saburo told Sesshoumaru that his opponent was ready so without warning he pressed the attack.

Saburo had barely enough time to block Sesshoumaru's blade at cut toward his throat before he was forced back into the wall. "Be wary of all opponents, Saburo-san, even those you believe to be friendly," Sesshoumaru said before stepping back into the center of the floor.

"Forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama, but 'friendly' is not a term I could easily use to describe you." Saburo pushed himself off the wall with a smirk and leapt into an attack of his own.

"Then my efforts have not been in vain." Sesshoumaru blocked, spun and counter-attacked, disrupting the tiger's balance. Saburo let his imbalance take him and rolled away from his lord. Their path took them round and round the large room, spinning, blocking, driving, and attacking. Saburo often tried to take advantage of the seeming disadvantage Sesshoumaru held by having only one arm. He would attempt to dodge or feint an attack only to turn at the last moment and strike out at his left side. Only rarely did he ever succeed in his attempts, but he was not afraid to use the handicap to his advantage. It was one of the reasons that he was a preferred sparring partner. Far too many of Sesshoumaru's opponents would avoid his left side at all costs, which only resulted in embarrassingly short matches – they focused only on his strong side, presumably so as not to offend, but it also made their attacks painfully obvious and as a result, they were easily defeated. He knew only too well that in a 'real' fight, his enemies would have no qualms over taking full advantage of his perceived handicap, but they would quickly learn not to underestimate him. Today, however, may well turn out to be one of those rare occasions that Saburo gained any sort of real advantage over him. Whenever Vanessa passed through Sesshoumaru's field of vision, he found her staring at him intently, studying him, but for what reason, he would have to figure out later. At the moment he was occupied with the uncharacteristically difficult task of maintaining the upper hand. "Sesshoumaru-sama, your attention appears to be elsewhere." Sesshoumaru shot Saburo a glare that made his smirk falter only slightly.

Most would probably be surprised that Sesshoumaru allowed such taunting from his sparring partner, but it is not entirely to be unexpected from enemies – Inuyasha, for example – who thought either to distract him with their words or simply had no control over their own tongue. In this case, Sesshoumaru took the opportunity to deal his 'finishing' blow while Saburo was feeling overly confident. He swept out his leg and knocked his opponent off his feet. The moment Saburo landed on his back with a grunt, Sesshoumaru stood over him with his boot in the center of his chest.

"This Sesshoumaru's attention is always on the task at hand," he said, removing the tip of his blade from the skin of Saburo's throat, leaving behind a small dot of blood as a reminder.

"Well played, Sesshoumaru-sama. As always, I thank you for allowing me test my skill against your blade." Sesshoumaru nodded his acknowledgment. "I am going to prepare for breakfast," Saburo said. "Will you be wanting to meet with me later?"

"Have you any new information?" The hunt for Naraku had so far turned up nothing but dead ends.

"No, my lord. Nothing new yet today."

"Then no. We do not need to meet, but inform me at once if you find anything new."

Saburo nodded. "I take my leave then, Sesshoumaru-sama. Vanessa-san," he said with a nod to Vanessa.

After Saburo left Sesshoumaru alone in the dojo with Vanessa, the woman left the bench and approached him. "Have you found what you were looking for?" he asked her.

"What do you mean?"

"You were watching rather closely, were you not?"

She blushed. "Oh… It's just…"

"Yes?"

"Well… ever since that night on the road when I saw you practicing… I've sort of been wondering…"

"Go on." What was it exactly that she wanted to know? She was starting to try his patience.

"You'll probably think I'm crazy –"

"Perhaps." _Get on with it._

"Hey!" Vanessa exclaimed, planting her fists on her hips. "What I'm trying to say is that you are so graceful when you are fighting – well okay, all the time – and I was wondering if you would ever use that skill in something a little less deadly… like… dance?"

"Dance." Immediately Sesshoumaru's mind ran with the notion and he decided that he would rather relinquish Tetsusaiga to Inuyasha forever than be caught wearing one of those obscenely gaudy costumes, let alone performing as those he had seen in the theater. "This Sesshoumaru does not dance." Apparently, Vanessa had wanted a different answer: she pouted.

"Have you ever tried?"

He snorted. "No."

"Well, then how do you know you don't dance? Maybe you're a natural!"

"Doubtful." How could one as dignified as he is be a 'natural' at something so… unbecoming?

"What if… what you're thinking of as 'dance' and what I'm thinking of are two different things? Then would you try?" She had a valid point… Still, wouldn't it be unseemly for the lord of the West to be seen parading about like a fool, no matter the origin of the 'dance'? As though reading his thoughts, Vanessa continued: "There's no one here. Everyone else will be going to breakfast soon. Couldn't you… humor me? Just for a little bit? Dance with me. You might even have fun!" She then made a face that looked remarkably like a lost puppy's. One that Rin had pulled on occasion as well. What had he ever done to be so cursed that the two humans that he had taken into his care happened to be masters in the art of appearing innocent? Sesshoumaru growled softly, berating himself for yielding to this mortal woman.

"You have one hour – until the end of breakfast." Whatever she had planned for him, they were least likely to be interrupted while the majority of the household either continued to sleep or took their morning meal. She clapped her hands and practically squealed in delight before taking a few steps forward.

"I was watching your footwork earlier… I don't think you'll have any trouble catching on." Then suddenly she took his hand and pulled him toward her a little. Instinctually Sesshoumaru pulled his hand from her grasp and took a step back.

"What are you doing?" he asked with a small frown.

"Oh! I guess I should have explained. For this particular dance, we have to touch, but don't worry – it's nothing indecent." Vanessa held out her hand to him with a grin and slowly, he placed his hand in hers. "Good! Okay. Put your hand here on my back – like this." _This is ridiculous._ She guided his hand around and behind her to rest near her left shoulder blade. "Now. My hand goes on your shoulder, like so." _Utterly absurd. _Sesshoumaru never took his eyes from her face, but he felt the light weight of her small hand resting on his shoulder. "Normally," she continued, "we would clasp my right and your left hand, but since that… er… isn't an option, we'll have to improvise."

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru frowned slightly. What sort of 'dance' was this tangle of limbs anyway, and what exactly did she mean by 'improvise'? Well, he was about to find out.

Vanessa had laid her remaining hand on Sesshoumaru's left shoulder then frowned slightly. "This isn't quite right. What if…" she said softly as if to herself. Slowly, she slid her hand over his left shoulder and down to what remained of his bicep, stopping just above the healed edge of the severed appendage. The action made him flinch unexpectedly and his left shoulder involuntarily jerked away from her touch. "I'm sorry!" she cried out in surprise. "I didn't mean… That is… if you don't want to…" Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment before shaking his head.

"No."

"I understand," she said as her face fell slightly.

"Your hour is not yet up." She had never once flinched or made any outward indication that she was uncomfortable with his ruined limb – not until he pulled away, and then she seemed concerned only with his discomfort. Sesshoumaru was startled more than anything at the contact, only because he had healed before returning home and he saw no reason to let anyone inspect the injury after that. It was simply that no one had touched any part of his left arm since he had lost it.

Vanessa stared at him. "What? Are you sure? You really don't have to. It's a bunch of silliness really."

"If it is… important to you, then you may continue… where you left off." She smiled brilliantly up at him and replaced his and her hands in their appropriate positions.

"Okay," Vanessa began, stepping back a little though still maintaining the same contact, "watch my feet and move yours with them – your left to my right. I'll hum the tune and hopefully everything will fall together nicely. If you step on my feet, don't worry about it. It's only natural at first. My toes have had their share of bruises from teaching other people more complex moves than what I'm about to show you." As Vanessa hummed the tune and Sesshoumaru followed her footsteps, almost pathetically clumsily at first – but he did not step on her toes once, he began to feel the way the steps moved with her music. Eventually, he began to read subtle clues given off by the rest of her body just as he would an opposing swordsman. A tilt of her hip like _this_ meant that she would be placing her foot _there._ The twist of her torso just _so_ meant they would turn in _that_ direction on the next step.

Sesshoumaru raised his gaze to her face and was met with a somewhat far-off look in her eyes. _She is remembering..._ An image flashed in his mind of Vanessa wearing the silver garment that he had first seen her in. It was flaring about her ankles as she moved, drifting and floating with each turn she made. Her hair was done up in an elegant knot and she was whirling about the marble dance floor, much as she was now on the wood floor of his dojo, and she was smiling, laughing with the lucky man she had chosen as her dance partner. Sesshoumaru blinked, trying to rid himself of the vision, but it was difficult when the subject of that short, waking dream was directly in front of him. Her violet eyes, pale now – as though infused with the silver of her dress, seemed to look right through him. He wished he had the power to see into her mind, to find out what caused that soft smile to appear on her rosy lips as she hummed. Why now did her features so capture his interest? What spell was she weaving about him that made him notice the contrast between her dark lashes and pale brows and that they complemented perfectly the darkening tan of her skin? She was a beautiful creature, there was no denying it, but she was also one that he could not… would not touch. Sesshoumaru shook his head slightly, derailing that train of thought and turned his gaze down to the safety of the floor between them. The small movement seemed to have brought Vanessa back to the present and before he knew it, she had increased their pace and the range of their movements until she had them twirling around and around all across the floor. When he caught sight of their reflection in the long mirrors on the southern wall, he began to understand the connection she made between the fighting style she had seen and this so-called dancing. Each movement flowed into the other seamlessly and even the footwork was similar, though the end result was completely different. He had the feeling that variations in the music and movements could prove to be quite intimate indeed.

By the time Vanessa brought them to a halt, she was slightly breathless and a light flush colored her cheeks. "I think I should take up running again and stop lounging about the palace," she said with a laugh. "So? What did you think?"

"That was… interesting," Sesshoumaru responded. True, it really was nothing like what he had expected and he could probably grow to enjoy such an activity, though he would like to hear the real music sometime.

"Now imagine forty or fifty people all doing the same thing in a room this size." He raised an eyebrow at her; while the steps were consistent, their path around the dojo floor did not seem to have any logical pattern. To have that many people all in the same space, surely there would be collisions left and right.

"Do they not collide with one another?"

Vanessa shook her head. "You'd be surprised. There are other types of music and as many dance steps to match. I could teach you more… if you want to learn."

"Perhaps another time." He had to admit that he could only process so much of Vanessa's world at one time. Besides, breakfast should be finishing soon and he didn't want any intruders to happen across them. And speaking of breakfast… "Come, I will have food sent upstairs." With that, he turned toward the door and the awaiting sunshine, but a small voice behind him made him pause.

"Sesshoumaru…" He turned back to find Vanessa standing exactly where he had left her, a small frown marring her normally cheerful visage. Her hands were twisted in the wide sleeves of the haori he had given her the night she met Shizu and her previously bright eyes were dark and downcast, partially hidden by long dark lashes. Had he done something to upset her? And since when did he care about the way his actions affected others, let alone a human? But with her, it had been that way since the very beginning. She had seemed so lost and alone that it stirred a protectiveness within him that he had only ever felt for Rin. Sesshoumaru took a step toward her.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, slightly concerned. Vanessa shook her head and smiled, though he could see that it didn't reach her eyes.

"No, I just… I wanted to thank you. I felt like I was back home just now." Then she straightened and gave a true smile. "Come on, let's go eat so I can take a bath."

Sesshoumaru nodded and stared after Vanessa as she walked past. He had grown so accustomed to her presence in his home that sometimes he forgot that his world was as alien to her as she was to him. She rarely gave him reason to believe that she was homesick, but he couldn't suppress a small smirk at a sudden realization. It would seem that he was not the only one in residence skilled in masking his – or her – features. But he did not want her to be unhappy, whether she showed it or not, and decided to take a more active roll in seeking out a way for her to return home. Surely she must be eager to go back to something familiar.

VvVvVvVvV

Vanessa couldn't believe that Sesshoumaru actually agreed to dance with her, however grudgingly at first. She had let her mind go and realized just how much different this world was from her own. More than anything at that moment she wished for real music… or at least a CD player. Just as she had suspected that night that she had seen him practicing, his natural grace lent perfectly to the steps. She might have giggled if her upbringing hadn't taught her otherwise… and if she thought Sesshoumaru wouldn't decide he'd had enough right then and there. Here she was, no one in this age, a human with no special powers and yet… still she had managed to persuade one of the most powerful beings alive to dance with her. Her mother would be proud… It was more than that, though. Vanessa felt privileged that he seemed to be comfortable enough with her to indulge her in this. She really did like to dance, and not just in the dance clubs. At some point in all her years of attending various functions with her parents, Vanessa had come to love everything about ballroom dancing. It was hard to find people her own age who could tolerate more than a song or two, though, and that wasn't enough for her. Usually, if the opportunity presented itself, she danced with their fathers. But here… here she was leading a very attractive youkai lord around the floor like she owned it. She knew that they would have to stop eventually but she fully intended to enjoy every minute of it. Who knew if he would agree to it again?

As they walked back to their rooms, Vanessa thought that instead of taking a bath right away, she would take a jog and maybe see Shizu. It had been a few days since she had last visited the winged horse and today Rin would be having some lessons in reading and writing, something Vanessa couldn't help with – at least not in Japanese. If she was going to take a run, it would be pointless to get all cleaned up first.

Not long after they arrived, a servant knocked on the door to Sesshoumaru's room to drop off a platter of bread, cheese, fruit and a pitcher of juice. Vanessa was just setting the food on the table when Sesshoumaru appeared, leading a bleary-eyed Rin from the direction of her room. She smiled at the girl. "You sure slept late today, Rin."

"Sesshoumaru-sama said that I didn't have to wake up early."

Taking the pot of tea off the fire, Vanessa joined the pair at the table. "Sesshoumaru, since Rin has lessons today, I think I'm going to take a run and maybe pay a visit to Shizu. I haven't seen her in almost a week." He nodded and sipped his tea. Vanessa took a piece of apple and popped it in her mouth, glancing out the window. After she swallowed, she turned to Sesshoumaru again, "What are your plans for the day?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I have nothing planned as yet."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"How can the lord of the Western Lands have nothing to do?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head slightly. "I did not say that I have nothing to do. I merely have nothing planned."

"I see… so… what are you going to do with your free time?" He leaned forward just a little as though about to disclose a great secret.

"This Sesshoumaru will go to the library and study the ancient scrolls." Vanessa stared at him. _He can't be doing that for _fun_… can he?_ She had no doubt that perusing the ancient documents might be fascinating – to an extent, but… it was gorgeous outside. Studying on a day like today was just wrong.

"You're serious."

"Naturally," he said, sitting back again, and she could almost – almost – see a smile in his eyes. "Since I have the time, I thought I might see if there is any mention of time portals in the scrolls."

"Really? Do you think there will be anything in there?" He was going to spend his free time looking for a solution to help her?

"I am uncertain. It is not a common occurrence by any means; however, if anything has been recorded, it is very likely that I have a copy." _Pays to be a great lord, I guess._

Vanessa smiled her gratitude. "You're just trying to get rid of me so you won't have to dance with me anymore," she teased.

That got Rin's attention. "Did Sesshoumaru-sama really dance, Nessa-neesan?" she piped. Sesshoumaru shot Vanessa a glare and she couldn't help but laugh.

"I showed Sesshoumaru a dance from my home," she said, neither confirming nor denying Sesshoumaru's participation in the activity.

"I think that Sesshoumaru-sama would be a good dancer," Rin praised. "May I see this dance sometime?"

He sent another glare Vanessa's way and turned to the child. "Rin. It is time that you went to your lessons."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Immediately, Rin got up and went to her room to change and to collect her supplies.

Vanessa tried to suppress her amusement before she turned to Sesshoumaru; she didn't want to ruin her chances for a second dance session. "She thinks the world of you," she commented, watching as he stared after the girl with a certain fondness in his golden eyes.

"I know." _And you think the world of her too,_ she thought, but also thought it best not to voice it.

"If you're going to spend your free time reading through old scrolls just for my sake, at least take a few of them and go outside to enjoy the weather. It's beautiful out."

He gave her that strange, almost perplexed, look of his and responded, "Perhaps I will."

"Good," she said with a grin. "I'm going to go now before it gets too warm. I'll be back later this afternoon."

Wrapping some left over bread and cheese in a cloth napkin for a snack, Vanessa went to her room to grab her backpack. It was light enough and, along with her snack, she wanted to bring a small towel to dip in the stream she knew to be in the forest where she would find Shizu. Tying on some sandals to protect the bottoms of her feet from sticks and stones, she left the building and took of in an easy jog across the countryside. After a few minutes, she heard the steady beat of trotting hooves coming from the forest to her right and smiled. _Shizu._ Vanessa veered into the woods and easily dodged the trees until she was far enough in to avoid being seen by anyone in the palace. Before long Shizu was beside her, matching her pace. _"Why are you running, Vanessa_?" the horse asked into her mind.

"I wanted to get some exercise," Vanessa said, not yet out of breath.

"_Why did you want this… exercise?"_

"I was starting to feel lazy sitting around the palace all day. I wanted to stay fit," she explained.

"_I see… do you like to run?"_

"Not always." Both were quiet for a while.

"_I love to run," _Shizu said suddenly,_ "I like to run as fast as I can and then take to the air and fly up and up, and when I think I can't fly any higher, I spread my wings and glide back down to earth."_ Shizu kicked her legs behind her and leapt forward a bit to show her excitement.

"That… sounds exciting," Vanessa said, breathing a little harder now.

"_You sound like you're getting tired."_

"This…is the part… that I… don't… like… as much." It had been far too long since she'd had a good run. She couldn't remember the last time she had gotten so out of breath so quickly… It must have been even before she went back in time.

"_Why don't you stop?"_

"Can't… get stronger… unless… you… push yourself." Shizu seemed to understand the difficulty Vanessa was facing in trying to speak and catch her breath at the same time, so she quit her questions for a while.

By the time Vanessa stopped, she had almost reached the area where she had first met Shizu and Kaminari. She flopped down on the bank of the stream and waited for her breathing to return to normal. Meanwhile, Shizu settled herself in the grass beside the woman and spread one wing like a canopy to shade the delicate skin of her human friend. _"You humans are such strange creatures,"_ she commented.

"I get that a lot around here, but you allegedly 'normal' youkai have befriended this strange creature."

"_Perhaps it is because you amuse us."_

"Is that all I am to you?" Vanessa asked in mock hurt, "A form of entertainment?"

"_You know that's not true! I-"_ Shizu broke off when she heard Vanessa's giggle.

"Of course I know that, silly," Vanessa said as she reached behind her to give Shizu a reassuring pat on her flank. "You know… sometimes when I talk to you – and anyone else around here for that matter – I feel like I'm dreaming."

"_Why?"_

"Creatures like you don't exist where I come from… or if they do, they keep themselves well hidden."

"_We have kept ourselves so well hidden that few even know that we're within the walls of the palace grounds."_

"That is true, but where I am from there are more people and it is harder to hide."

Shizu cocked her head slightly. _"Where is this place?"_

"Can you keep a secret?" Shizu nodded. Vanessa had yet to tell her the truth about herself. So far, their conversations had steered clear of the topic of her origins, but she felt that it was important for her friend to know everything. "You might find this hard to believe, but hear me out. A little over a week before I arrived here, I was in an entirely different time and place."

"_What do you mean…?"_

"My home is half-way around the world and I'm from about five hundred years in the future."

"_How is this possible?"_ her voice sounding breathy in Vanessa's head.

Vanessa shrugged. "I don't really know. One minute I was in my time, and the next, I had stepped through a sort of portal into this world."

"_Will you be going back?"_ she caught the hint of sadness in Shizu's voice.

"I don't know that either. Sesshoumaru-sama is looking for information in his library as to how I can go back. When I came into this time, my way home was closed. He sort of took me in until we can find a way to send me back."

"_That surprises me."_

"What does?"

"_You must know that Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't think highly of humans."_

"So I've heard."

"_You know… he has come out here before – to speak with my father. I never would have imagined him bringing a stranger with him, and a human no less."_

"Everyone keeps saying that… There's more to him than he lets on."

"_I'm sure he has his reasons…"_

"Yeah. So…" Vanessa said, trying to change the subject, "what have you been up to lately?"

Shizu and Vanessa talked until late in the afternoon, sometimes walking or riding, other times lying under the trees. The light was so dim in the forest that they hardly noticed the turn in the weather. It wasn't until Vanessa stepped out of the cover of trees and was nearly blown over by the wind that she realized how close the storm was to breaking. Even as she was thinking how strange the storm's sudden appearance was considering how clear the sky was earlier, the first sprinkles of rain fell. She ducked back under the meager shelter of the trees and turned to Shizu. "Should we wait it out?" she asked.

"_The storm seemed to come up quickly… Maybe it will pass just as quickly?"_ It was a long walk back to the main buildings…

"Do you know of any place around here where we could take cover?"

"_Yes. Climb on, I'll take you there."_ Shizu lowered herself enough so that Vanessa could climb onto her back and then trotted swiftly through the trees.

Just as the rain was becoming strong enough to break through the heavy tree-cover, Shizu brought Vanessa to the mouth of a fairly sizeable cave – at least it was large enough for the two of them. "Do storms normally come up so fast around here? There wasn't a cloud in the sky this morning."

"_Sometimes… but not often at this time of year."_ Shizu turned her head and peered out into the rain.

"Looks like all we can do is wait."

"_I guess so."_

"If it gets too late, I think I'll have to just suck it up and get a little wet." Vanessa dropped her backpack and sat against the cool stone of the cave wall and picked at a few pebbles beside her. "Does your herd have shelter from the rain or do you stay outside?"

"_The rain does not bother us… though the wetness makes it more difficult to fly," _Shizu responded, ruffling her wing feathers for emphasis.

"I can imagine."

Silence reigned over the small cave as human and winged horse stared out into the dim forest, watching the rain fall with ever increasing intensity. "Shizu," Vanessa began, trying to strike up a conversation to make the time go faster, "I was wondering… Why does your kind stay hidden in the forest? I would think that you would want to run in the fields and fly in the open skies." Shizu lifted her wing joints in a gesture resembling a shrug.

"_This is all I have ever known… I guess I haven't thought much about it. Papa always said that it is important that we are left in peace and the best way to have that is when no one knows about us. Sesshoumaru-sama's family has allowed us to live on their lands in return for aid, should he need it."_

"Has he ever had to call on you?"

"_Not in my lifetime, but there might have been a few times before then."_

"How long have you been here?"

Shizu turned to Vanessa, _"I was born in this forest, but my herd has been here since before even Sesshoumaru-sama was born-"_ Suddenly Shizu froze, her eyes growing large and her ears flattening back against her head. _"I didn't mean to say that Sesshoumaru-sama is _old_… well, he is… older than I am that is… Papa says that the herd is indebted to Sesshoumaru-sama's family… I really meant no disrespect!"_ Vanessa couldn't help but to laugh at the young mare's panic.

"Shizu," she said, trying to put a halt to her apologies. "Don't worry, I don't think that Sesshoumaru-sama thinks about his age very much. Even if he did, wouldn't his growing old as a ruler mean that he is very strong? One day it might be a compliment to praise him for his age."

"_Maybe…"_ She knew that she still didn't have Shizu convinced.

"Well, then think of it from my perspective. As a human, when I found out how old he is I was shocked that someone could live that long and still look so young. I even told him so."

"_Really?"_ The winged horse perked her ears up again.

"Besides, compared to how old he could live to be, Sesshoumaru-sama isn't that old at all, probably not that much older than I am – comparatively speaking anyway."

"_Would it be rude of me to ask how old you are?"_

Vanessa laughed, "Of course not. I turned twenty-four in the spring... I think you have a different calendar than I do, so the date wouldn't mean very much."

Shizu's eyes squinted in a way that Vanessa had come to know was her version of a smile, and then a giggle entered the woman's mind. "Now what are you laughing at?" she asked.

"_I shouldn't… but if you were like me, you would be just a filly. Twenty-four is so _young_, but I know you're not."_ Shizu ducked her head shyly and peered over at Vanessa through lowered lashes. _"If you were of my kind, I think you would be like an older sister to me,"_ she continued softly, but then seemed embarrassed by her admission and hid her head between her body and the wall opposite Vanessa. The human didn't like to see her youkai companion drawing into herself like that, so she rose from her seat and crossed the short distance across the width of the cave. She placed her hands on both of Shizu's soft cheeks and gently guided her head back to where she could look into her brilliant blue eyes.

"Shizu…" Vanessa said, still holding the horse's head, "please don't hide from me." She brought her own cheek to Shizu's and stroked the other in a way that Bryce's parents' horses seemed to like. Apparently it worked for Shizu too, as she drew in a breath and sighed contentedly. "We don't need to be related or even the same kind to be sisters."

"_You don't think I'm being silly?"_

"Of course not. To tell you the truth, I've found another little sister since coming here."

"_You have? Who?"_ Vanessa stepped back again, but maintained contact, petting Shizu's velvety nose.

"Do you know who Rin is?" From her conversations with Rin, it was clear that Sesshoumaru hadn't taken her to meet the winged horses yet so she had refrained from bringing her along, though the girl wanted desperately to meet Shizu. Vanessa would have to ask Sesshoumaru when she got back if it was ok to bring Rin with her sometime.

"_Sesshoumaru-sama's human ward? I've never met her."_

"She's a sweet girl. Almost since the moment I met her, I've been her 'Nessa-neesan.' I'll ask Sesshoumaru-sama if it would be alright to bring her with me sometime."

"_Nessa-neesan… it fits."_ Shizu giggled, her earlier timidity forgotten.

"If you start calling me that, at least shorten it to 'Nessa.' It sounds more informal to me."

"_Alright then, 'Nessa' it is."_

Vanessa turned to look out the cave opening again, and even through the tree and cloud cover, she could see that it was getting darker out, yet the rain had not let up. "Shizu, I think I'm going to have to get a little wet. I need to get back to the palace."

"_I could take you part of the way if you want."_  
"Are you sure?"

"_Of course," _Shizu gave Vanessa another horse-grin, _"anything for my newest sister."_

"Thank you." Vanessa picked up her bag again and climbed onto Shizu's back. Together they sped through rain that was only slightly lessened by the trees. Shizu's footing was sure and she never slipped on the slick floor covering; before she knew it, Vanessa was only a few hundred yards from the palace. They came to a halt just inside the tree line and Vanessa dismounted. She gave the horse a scratch behind her ears and thanked her again for the ride. Then she made a dash for the building that she was now calling 'home.' Just before she entered, Vanessa made a slight detour and went to the bathhouse instead. There she was hoping to find a spare towel to use to dry off so she didn't track water all over the wood flooring. Just inside the door she found what she was looking for and took a moment as she dried to let the natural heat and steam warm the chill that had set in from the rain. Once she thought she was as dry as she could get without changing, Vanessa turned once more to Sesshoumaru's building.

As she rounded the corner into the main hall, Vanessa was brought up short. Sesshoumaru stood near the front door with Saburo and a small group of other youkai. It wasn't the newcomers that made her pause, but Sesshoumaru. As Vanessa crossed unnoticed through the door, the woman standing before Sesshoumaru removed her hood. She raised her eyes to look up at the taiyoukai, and though Sesshoumaru's face remained as blank and passive as ever, the sheer intensity of the emotion Vanessa was getting from him made her feel as though her heart would stop. She had rarely picked up anything from him through their connection and those times it had only been small traces, but now the rage, confusion, and even a small amount of longing that she was feeling from him were so strong that she wondered how he was maintaining such control. _Who is she that she caused such a reaction from him?_ Vanessa couldn't see much of the woman, but what caught her eye was the intense hawk-like gaze of her bright yellow eyes that belied the pleasant smile she wore. She liked to think that she gave everyone she met a fair chance and didn't judge too quickly, but something about this woman did not sit right with her. Finally, Sesshoumaru spoke. She couldn't quite hear everything, but it sounded like "Show her to a room."

The moment Saburo moved to do as he was commanded, Sesshoumaru turned abruptly and crossed the hall to the back door. He didn't even spare a glance at Vanessa as he blew past her out the door and into the rain. She wondered if he even noticed her presence. It took only a moment for him to cross the small garden and in that time, Vanessa came to a decision. She knew that he probably wanted to be left to be alone, but for some reason she couldn't explain, she felt strongly compelled to follow him. So she did just that. Heedless of the pouring rain, Vanessa took off after Sesshoumaru. She had to run just to keep up with his long strides, let alone catch up to him. _What has gotten into him? And where on earth is he going?_ She could just see his white, almost-glowing form as it disappeared through a thick wall of bushes. Careful to keep her eyes trained on that spot, Vanessa sprinted across the slick grass until she came to a skidding halt right where she saw Sesshoumaru disappear. Suddenly she was hesitant. What if he really did not want to be disturbed? Of course he didn't want to be disturbed, why else practically flee into a hiding place in the bushes? Still, the emotions she was reading from him hadn't lessened at all so she strengthened her resolve and stepped quietly through the branches.

The sight that met her eyes was a shock to say the least. First was the fact that she had stepped into a beautiful little garden completely hidden from the rest of the grounds, and second was Sesshoumaru himself. He stood stock still in the center of the garden, the only exception being his hand. His claws were alternately flexing and clenching into a fist. He looked as though he wanted to tear something, anything – or anyone – to shreds. The actions themselves weren't much by most standards, but coming from Sesshoumaru it gave Vanessa the impression that he was pacing like a caged lion. It was disturbing and even a little frightening considering how calm and collected he was all the time. She drew a little closer. Sesshoumaru had not said a word beyond his command to Saburo, but if Vanessa had been experiencing the jumble of emotions that he seemed to be, she was sure that she would want to scream. As she drew closer still, Sesshoumaru paused and seemed to take a deep breath. He had not yet made any acknowledgment of her presence and she still wondered if he even noticed her, but the moment passed and he resumed his agitated motions. Finally, Vanessa couldn't take it anymore; she thought she might go crazy herself if he didn't calm down.

"Sesshoumaru?" Vanessa spoke softly, hoping that she wouldn't startle him – if indeed he had not noticed her presence. Suddenly he rounded on her, red bleeding into his eyes and a feral snarl cutting the air between them. He didn't seem to recognize her. Vanessa wasn't expecting that sort of response at all and took an involuntary step back. _Now what do I do?_

VvVvVvVvV

After hours spent in the library pouring over every scroll and document that he thought might give the slightest clue, Sesshoumaru began to feel the need to rip each and every one of them to shreds for all the help they offered. In an effort to save his collection, he opted instead to find Rin or Vanessa – she should be returning soon as it was already well into the afternoon. It was strange the way he looked forward to meeting with her; perhaps it wouldn't be so bad having her around the palace should they not find her a way home. As he passed by the windows in the main hall, he noted the turn in the weather. How had he not noticed when he sat under the wide windows in the library? It didn't take long to find Vanessa absent from her room; Rin, however, had finished her lessons and was waiting patiently for him. "Rin, has Vanessa returned?" The girl shook her head.

"No, Sesshoumaru-sama, I haven't seen her."

"Hn." He turned to the window and decided that he really didn't like the look of those clouds. A storm was coming quickly and he knew only too well how vulnerable humans were to the elements, but he was also certain that Shizu would not let anything happen to Vanessa. Still… something didn't feel right about that storm.

Even so, one of Sesshoumaru's charges was present and he had to be sure that she was cared for. "What would you like to eat this evening?" he asked Rin. It wasn't often that he left the decision up to her, but he knew that she liked it when he did. She clapped her hands gleefully and then grew thoughtful.

"Oh, I know! May I have fish and rice with that sauce that I like? I don't know what it's called…"

"I know the one." Rin had practically fallen in love with a buttery herb sauce and would eat it on every meal if he allowed her. "I will have the kitchen prepare your meal."

"Oh, thank you Sesshoumaru-sama!" In her excitement, Rin ran up to him and wrapped her small arms around his right leg. He let her – he could afford to indulge her in the privacy of his own rooms as long as she knew her boundaries in public. With a soft pat on her head, Sesshoumaru gently pried Rin off of him. "I cannot get your food if you are attached to my leg." She giggled. "Now stay here. I will return shortly."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin seated herself on a cushion in Sesshoumaru's sitting room to wait.

Sesshoumaru made his way downstairs and was intercepted by Saburo when he set foot on the first floor landing. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Saburo called as he jogged in the front door. _What is it about this staircase that cries 'Distract Sesshoumaru from his path'?_

"Hai, Saburo-san. What is it?" Saburo approached and gave a hasty bow.

"My lord, we have just received a runner from an approaching party. They request shelter for the night from the coming storm." Sesshoumaru frowned slightly.

"Who are they?" There were inns in the castle town and surrounding villages, why couldn't they stay there?

"A demoness by the name of… Mitsue," Saburo responded, consulting a piece of parchment, "and her entourage."

"Why do they not stay at an inn?" Sesshoumaru asked, voicing his earlier internal question.

Saburo allowed a small smirk to play on his lips. "She seems to think that since they are so close, nothing short of 'Sesshoumaru-sama's hospitality' is worthy of her presence." Sesshoumaru groaned inwardly – he knew the type: arrogant, self-absorbed, pampered, and constantly throwing themselves at anything male that might gain them a hand's breadth in the world. He fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose against the headache he knew would come. "Where is she from?"

"The runner says that she is some relation to the Eastern lord, but won't give any specifics." If she truly was a relation of the Eastern lord, for the sake of politics, he could not turn her away – especially in the face of an impending storm, at least… not until he knew for certain who she was. He would allow one night, then find out what her purpose truly was. This 'Mitsue' was a long way away from the Eastern territory, let alone the Eastern palace.

"Notify this Sesshoumaru when they arrive."

There was nothing left to discuss, so Sesshoumaru turned and walked past Saburo into the courtyard that would lead him to the kitchens. He could have had a servant send in the request, but he hadn't been outside all day, not having heeded Vanessa's own request to take his work out of doors. Now in the face of an impending storm, he almost regretted not spending time enjoying the sunshine; however, had he done so, he would not have made it through the scrolls as quickly as he had – nor would he have discovered so soon how useless they were in this case. Sesshoumaru would have to seek his answers elsewhere.

On the way back from the kitchens, the first drops of rain fell. Sesshoumaru secretly hoped that Vanessa had made it back, or at least found shelter from the rain. He was back in his rooms with Rin by the time the sky really opened up. Vanessa still had not returned. Sesshoumaru was not too concerned yet; it was still early evening and the storm had only just begun. Surely it would pass before too long.

After their food came, Rin and Sesshoumaru passed the time in silence, as was their custom before Vanessa joined the group – that is until Jaken made an appearance. He had made himself surprisingly scarce over the past few weeks, ever since Vanessa had arrived, though lately he had been popping up more often. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Forgive your humble servant for not making himself available to you." Jaken fell prostrate before his lord and waited for a response. In truth, the imp's absence had been a welcome reprieve – as long as he kept up with his duties, which he had. Quite frankly, his voice and antics grew tiresome, though he couldn't in good conscience abandon the creature merely for displaying his over abundance of loyalty.

"Jaken, calm yourself. If you wish to be useful, you may keep an eye on the other inhabitants of the palace and inform this Sesshoumaru immediately if you discover unreasonable hostility."

"Hai, milord! I will give it my all."

"Very well, but be discreet. You will find nothing if you are as loud as you have been in the past few moments."

Jaken turned an interesting shade of red-brown in what Sesshoumaru could only imagine was a blush. "Hai, milord," he said in a much calmer voice and tone. The taiyoukai glanced at the table; there was some food left over… what could it hurt to offer some to the imp? Perhaps such a 'reward' would serve to remind him to keep his voice at an acceptable volume and pitch.

"Jaken, there is food left over from dinner. Have some if you wish."

"Milord?" Jaken's already large eyes grew wide as saucers and began to fill inexplicably with tears. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. _Now what?_ "Milord, you would share your meal with me, your humble servant? I will never forget your generosity." _… It was only some fish and rice…_

"If you want it, then eat it. This Sesshoumaru tires of your incessant babbling."

Jaken filled a bowl and ate as if it were the best meal he had ever tasted. All the while, Sesshoumaru watched in mild amusement. Even if the imp hadn't been skilled at keeping both Sesshoumaru and Rin's suites in addition to his own in order, he would nonetheless be amusing on occasion. Just as Jaken was finishing the last of his rice, a knock sounded on Sesshoumaru's door. It was Saburo. Apparently Mitsue and her party were through the gates and making their way into the palace proper as they spoke. Sesshoumaru gave a small sigh and rose to greet his 'guests.' As he walked through the halls of his home, he found himself wondering why aristocratic demonesses couldn't be more like Vanessa. _Where did that come from?_ Quickly banishing the thought, Sesshoumaru composed himself and prepared for the worst. He was about to step out into the rain-drenched courtyard to meet them when he saw a small group of youkai approaching and frowned slightly. No one had said anything about meeting them in his private home. As they drew nearer, he noted that one stood out from the rest, a female by the shape of her frame. _Must be Mitsue._ Her head and shoulders were covered in a deep red cloak and were bowed against the rain, but she strode with purpose, as though she were not an intruder in someone else's home. That alone set Sesshoumaru on edge; he knew his own arrogance could be a match for the best of them, but he still had enough decency to respect his host's hospitality. Presently, the party entered his hall and proceeded to drip astonishingly large puddles in the middle of _his_ floor.

Naturally, Sesshoumaru's face was the image of calm, though within he was searching for the best way to rid himself of this nuisance as quickly as possible. The female stood before him and seemed to have lost the courtesy to at least remove her hood and present herself to her host. As it was, all that she left exposed was the lower half of her face. "Sesshoumaru, I presume," the mouth below the hood said. Sesshoumaru hardened his gaze on her and he growled softly at the slight. _You presume too much to think yourself on the same level as this Sesshoumaru._ Mitsue continued before Sesshoumaru could think of something more… diplomatic to say to her. "I've heard you were the strong silent type. I just had to come find out for myself." Thankfully, Saburo stepped in before Sesshoumaru chose to put the female in her place. That would certainly not go over well with the Eastern lord… if she really were related to him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, may I present Mitsue-sama of the East. Mitsue-sama, meet the lord of the Western lands and master of this house, Sesshoumaru-_sama_." Sesshoumaru watched the female to gauge her reaction to the correction. She gave none. Nothing short of a greeting from Sesshoumaru's own mouth would have any impact on this one.

"Mitsue-san, this Sesshoumaru offers you and your party the hospitality of the West. You may take shelter from the storm within these walls tonight." He took a strange sort of satisfaction in the frown that appeared below the hood. Clearly, she hadn't expected to be met with such formality. That was fine with Sesshoumaru. He would offer a room in his home and be otherwise hospitable, but he did not want nor need to be friendly. Surely his reputation had preceded him. Besides that, friendliness on his part tended to invite unwanted notions in the minds of youkai females. He did not want her to even begin to entertain the notion that she would be welcome beyond the extent of this storm. Something about her simply did not feel right… And why had she not removed her hood? Did she have something to hide? "Remove your cloaks and I will have them hung to dry." _So that you can leave as soon as possible._ Mitsue's servants complied immediately, passing off their wet cloaks to Sesshoumaru's house servants, but Mitsue still resisted. _Theatrics will get you nowhere._

Finally, Mitsue pushed her hood back and Sesshoumaru felt his heart stop. _No… How? It… cannot be…_ His mind refused to believe what his eyes told him. _No… It is not… possible._ He managed to maintain his cool expression, though it was a struggle. Inside he was a tempest of conflicting emotions. First and foremost was shock, then came rage and as the memories long buried resurfaced, he even felt a faint longing for what he once thought he had. There before him, as though she had stepped directly from those memories was a perfect image of Atsuko: the same two-toned hair, her eyes, and her ears, even faint feather pattern on her cheekbones and around her eyes. _No… not quite perfect…_ There was a small red teardrop shape in the center of her forehead and… something else wasn't quite right, but he couldn't place what it was. _It is not possible. She died! I _killed _her. No… No!_ He still refused to believe what he was seeing. He had to leave. He had to be somewhere, anywhere but near this ghost from his past. "Show her to a room," Sesshoumaru commanded of Saburo. The tiger nodded and Sesshoumaru turned to the rear door of his building. He heard Mitsue protest and try to follow, but Saburo gently, but firmly, guided her up the stairs to the guest wing.

Sesshoumaru walked quickly – he wouldn't run – to the one place he knew he could find refuge. He hardly noticed his surroundings or the rain as he made his way to his hidden garden. Questions battered his mind, breaking through the shock of seeing Atsuko… Mitsue, until finally he was swallowed up in the quiet solitude of his sanctuary. There he let himself go, but even in this secluded place he couldn't bring himself to completely release the pent up energy. He needed to move, but somehow he felt that if he took to pacing he would end up destroying his small refuge so he settled for clenching and flexing his claws. Occasionally the tips of his claws pierced the skin of his palms, but he barely registered the pain. _How is she here? How is it possible? _It couldn't really be 'his' Atsuko… could it? He felt her take her last breath. He heard her heart stop. So how was she back again? Sesshoumaru felt rage building within him. How could he forget what Atsuko had done? It couldn't really be her… could it?

Suddenly a scent tickled his senses through the rain – one that had never previously been in the small garden… lilacs… and spring rain, almost indistinguishable against the storm. It was one that his subconscious knew to be safe, one that was oddly calming. Then he froze, realization hitting him like a slap. _That's it._ What he hadn't noticed about Mitsue before was that she had no scent. _What is she?_ Now he was almost certain that she couldn't truly be a 'relation' of the Eastern lord, so why the ruse? He thought of Inuyasha's undead miko, wondering if someone had somehow brought Atsuko back as well… but the miko smelled of death, dirt, and clay. Mitsue was something else entirely, but what? And why was she here? Sesshoumaru had no tolerance for games and his irritation spiked. It was growing more difficult to maintain his control. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a voice broke through his thoughts. "Sesshoumaru?" He spun in the direction of the voice, a snarl escaping his throat.

"What?" he demanded. Even to his own ears, his voice sounded rough; perhaps he had lost himself more than he thought. Sesshoumaru glared at the intruder as it backed away – it was female and… human. She was the source of that scent; he knew her. _Vanessa._ The thought that he might have frightened her instantly reigned in the steadily growing rage. He didn't want to hurt her.

Sesshoumaru straightened and took a step toward Vanessa. She was wary, but didn't run. He could feel her concern, but what was it about? "Why are you here, Vanessa?" he asked, gentler this time and he was pleased to note that his voice had returned to normal.

"I… saw you in the house, and I followed you." Vanessa stepped away from the shadows of the surrounding bushes and he saw that she was soaked.

"Why?"

"I was concerned. I was feeling so much from you that I couldn't imagine how you could stay so calm. What happened?" Could he tell her? Few in the palace remembered that time. He had no reason to talk about it… until now. Perhaps Vanessa could shed new light on the subject.

"Come with me," he said and moved deeper into the garden to a broad tree that he knew would provide some shelter from the rain; she was already wet, but he could lessen her exposure until she went back in to change.

They sat at the base of the tree where the limbs above were densest. Sesshoumaru was thankful that the evening was still warm despite the rain. He couldn't have Vanessa getting chilled and falling ill; when they returned, he would insist that she change quickly into dry clothing and go to bed, but first, he knew that she wouldn't be satisfied until he told her what happened and everything else that went with it. How on earth had he allowed her to come to have such an influence over him?

"I told you once of a friend I had as a pup," Sesshoumaru began. Vanessa nodded, signifying that she remembered; he knew she would. "Her name was Atsuko. We were intended to be mates… similar to your marriage, but so much deeper."

"Atsuko… that's a pretty name," Vanessa said then she frowned. "Wait, 'was'? What happened?"

"She and her father… betrayed my family, betrayed me. They had to be eliminated." He couldn't bring himself to tell her that it was by his own hands that Atsuko died. Why? Why did he suddenly care what she thought… what would she think if he told her that he killed his intended with his bare hands?

"Wow… that's harsh," she said softly.

"It is the way of things in youkai society," Sesshoumaru found himself defending. He suddenly felt the need to justify his actions to her. "They had even gathered a following. My family would not have remained in power if they were allowed to live."

"No, I understand. Humans don't take betrayal lightly either. I'm just sorry it had to happen that way… it must have been hard to witness." _Harder still to carry out._ "But what does that have to do with the woman in the hall?"

"That 'woman' is a demoness by the name of Mitsue. She claims to have come from the family of the Eastern lord, but I find that difficult to believe."

"Why?"

"I have known him longer than I have been lord of the West and I have never seen this Mitsue. And…" Saying it made it seem real. What would it mean if this really was Atsuko come back to him? Would she be the same – deceitful and greedy? What if she weren't Atsuko at all? How could he look at her and not find the demoness that he once thought he loved? Sesshoumaru was startled out of his troubled musings by a soft weight on his forearm. He glanced down to find Vanessa's hand on his sleeve.

"What is it?" she asked, concern still darkening her eyes.

Sesshoumaru growled softly to himself and looked away. He was being weak. Mitsue should not be any different from other guests… except that she was. Her appearance was sudden and unexpected – on top of being that of someone he had long ago left behind. Immediately Vanessa retracted her hand, probably thinking that he was growling at her. He wasn't, but it was easier to keep up the illusion of detachment if he kept that information to himself. "Mitsue bears a remarkable resemblance to Atsuko – a mirror image save for two things," he said finally. Vanessa gasped.

"Oh my," she said, "I can understand how that would be a shock. What's different about Mitsue?"

"She has a strange marking on her forehead and she has no scent."

"No scent? How can that be?"

"It is possible to mask one's scent, but why would Mitsue do so? What does she have to hide? I do not know what to make of her," Sesshoumaru admitted. Vanessa grew quiet, and seemed to ponder all that he had told her.

"What if…" she said finally, "if it's possible for youkai to mask their scent, is it also possible to change their appearance too? What if Mitsue doesn't look like Atsuko at all? What if she's only pretending to look like her? I can understand masking one's scent, but I can't imagine changing it altogether would be very easy." _Very perceptive…_

"It is possible to create an illusion as a disguise… but what purpose would that serve? Anyone who knew Atsuko would know that she died." Vanessa shrugged.

"Maybe someone just wanted to see what you would do."

"I despise games such as this."

Suddenly, Vanessa giggled. Sesshoumaru glared at her. "I fail to find the humor in this situation," he said.

"The _situation_ isn't funny… you are." Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, daring her to continue.

"True, it looks like you're being toyed with – used, and no one wants to be in that position, but you're so serious all the time. Sometimes I think you don't like any games, never mind those where you're the butt of some twisted joke." Vanessa thought for a moment. "You know…" she continued, "In the entire time I've known you – what, five… six weeks? – I haven't seen you laugh or even smile once. Don't you ever do anything just for the sheer fun of it?"

"You somehow persuaded this Sesshoumaru to dance this morning. That is a form of entertainment, is it not?"

"That was only because I guilted you into it. You didn't do it because you really wanted to."

"You overestimate your powers of persuasion. I do what I wish when I wish to do it."

"Oh really. Well, you still didn't do it because you thought it would be fun, that much was clear from your first reaction to the suggestion." Then she grinned. "But you did have fun, didn't you?" she said, nudging his knee. _That does not deserve a response._

"This Sesshoumaru has no time, nor the need, for 'fun,'" he said instead.

"Right, we'll see about that." Sesshoumaru didn't like the mischievous light in Vanessa's violet gaze, nor did he like the twisted smirk that she wore. This would not bode well for him. "You know what I think?" Vanessa asked suddenly.

Sesshoumaru eyed her warily. "No…"

"I think you should wait and see what happens with Mitsue. Maybe she's here to gather information or maybe she really is some long lost relation to the Eastern lord, but whatever her reason for being here, you won't find out what her purpose is if you get rid of her right away."

Had she been considering this the entire time she was bantering and poking fun? She had a valid point. Perhaps he should give her more credit and seek her advice in the future… Coming from a different time and place, she would have a unique perspective. He would have to think on it.

"I agree," Sesshoumaru said, acknowledging Vanessa's point.

"You should invite her to stay a while… maybe a week or so. Hear what she has to say. And… my Japanese is much better than when I first arrived - maybe I could talk to her. She might confide in another female… then again maybe not. I am human after all." Vanessa frowned a little.

"You might be surprised."

"What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled.

"It is strange. I have told you more these past weeks than I have anyone else in the past few centuries. I do not know what it is about you, but you are… easy to talk to." That seemed to be what she needed to hear, as a radiant smile lit her face.

"I told you I was a good listener."

"That you did."

A cool breeze blew through the garden, causing Vanessa to shiver in her damp clothing. Sesshoumaru was likewise soaked, but was not bothered by the chill. He looked out from the shelter of the tree and found that the rain had slowed to a light drizzle. That combined with the human's susceptibility to the elements told him it was time to go back. "It is time to go in," he told her. "You will retrieve dry clothes and then have a bath." Normally, he didn't like to give her orders, but in this case, he would tolerate no argument. He didn't want her to fall ill.

"Do I smell that bad?" Vanessa asked with a smirk.

"You are cold. You may become ill if you are not properly warmed."

"Alright, alright. I'll have a bath." Sesshoumaru nodded, pleased that she did not argue, and rose, offering Vanessa his hand to help her up. She accepted, but once she was on her feet, she looked up at him with a strange smile.

"What is it now?"

"You know… if you keep this up, someone might label you a 'mother hen.'"

Sesshoumaru stared at her. "Mother hen?"

"It's a term for someone who acts a little overprotective of those they care about – whether they're children or other friends."

"Hm." He was protective. His time caring for Rin had shown him that humans are fragile, and since he had vowed to himself to keep Vanessa safe, he would do what was necessary to keep her from harm – including sickness. But to be called a 'mother hen'… _Ridiculous_.

A/N:

To **bobalina**, since I couldn't reply to your review… you'll just have to wait and see I'm terrible like that, I know. I haven't forgotten Vanessa's friends and family back home – we'll see more of them later.

On a side note… My mom's gotten into this heritage/genealogy kick and I recently found out that one of my ancestors is the poet Robert Herrick. He lived way back in the 1600s in England. Anyway, as I was perusing some of his works online (google him, there's quite a bit out there if you're interested) and I found a poem of his that fit a certain inuyoukai that we all know and love. I will share it with you:

'The Frozen Heart'

by Robert Herrick

_I freeze, I freeze, and nothing dwells_

_In me but snow and icicles,_

_For pity's sake, give your advice,_

_To melt this snow and thaw this ice._

_I'll drink down flames; but if so be_

_Nothing but love can supple me,_

_I'll rather keep this frost and snow_

_Than to be thaw'd or heated so._

Your thoughts?


	12. Making Amends

Into the East

Chapter twelve: Making Amends

Posted: 30 July 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

Glittering crimson eyes peered into the small silver mirror for what must have been the hundredth time that day and still he was met only with dark swirling mist. It was the same image he got whenever he tried to delve into the Western lord's mind. Naraku growled his frustration and turned away to stare into the flames that tried desperately to cheer the dim, gloomy chamber. He was a patient hanyou by nature, fully content to sit in wait for unsuspecting prey to ensnare themselves in his traps, but it had been a full moon cycle or more since Sesshoumaru had so much as set foot out of his palace. Naraku may have been patient, but he hated the unknown. That the great Sesshoumaru took in yet another human was a small matter, beneath his concern, really, but what did she mean to him? Would it even be worth it to try to use her? He wanted to know what was happening behind those walls and he wanted to know now. He wanted to know what made the deadly, stoic taiyoukai tick. What could he possibly use to gain an advantage over the dog lord? But… as Onigumo knew better than anyone else, one cannot always have what one desires – right away. But his plan was set in motion. Now he need only wait until the opportune moment.

Naraku turned back to the pale child with an expression of mild amusement. Kan'na was a detachment of his own body, just as Kagura was, but his two offspring could not have been more different if they had been born on opposite sides of the planet. The child displayed no emotion, revealed nothing to anyone. She was, in fact, the embodiment of nothingness, and she fascinated him. Within her deceptive form was nothing, no emotion, no youki, no aura, and yet there she stood before him, a living contradiction in her very existence. She was also the most loyal of all of his creations. Kagura on the other hand, wore her heart on her sleeve… or would, if she possessed her heart. It was no secret that her greatest desire was to be free of Naraku and he held that over her head every step of the way. He held an iron grip on her heart and used it to punish her, but he wouldn't kill her outright, not yet. That would only give her what she wanted, for surely once the life left her body, she would become like the wind itself. No, she still had her uses, despite her rebelliousness.

Turning his gaze back to the mirror, Naraku once again commanded Kan'na – he had a feeling this time that the awaited moment was drawing very near. "Again, Kan'na. Show me the Western palace."

"Yes, Naraku." Just as before, his eyes beheld only the mists of the barrier that blocked his scrying. _Soon_, he thought, _soon all will be revealed to me._ He continued to stare, searching, willing the mists to dissolve and show him what he so desired to see. Then suddenly, as though a gate had opened before him, the mists disappeared and Naraku glimpsed the entryway to a vast, walled compound. The image drifted through the courtyards and passages of great buildings until he saw Sesshoumaru himself. _Ah…_ he thought with a low chuckle, _and now to watch and wait._

VvVvVvVvV

Vanessa awoke with a heavy sort of fogginess settling in the general area of her head and an insistent pounding behind her eyes. She sat up only to bury her face in her hands. _Oh…_ she thought while her body groaned. _Sesshoumaru is not going to be happy._ She prided herself in generally taking well enough care that she hardly ever got sick. Now here she was, five hundred years in the past and she developed a cold after a little time in the rain, never mind that she had been soaked through for the better part of the afternoon and well into the evening. After he had been so adamant that she get warmed and dried so that she didn't get sick, she felt a bad that it seemed to be all for nothing. What made it worse was that she couldn't just go down to the corner drug store to get something to clear everything up… There was no corner drug store!

The moment that Vanessa decided to admit defeat and find out if there was some sort of soothing herbal tea that she could drink was the precise moment that Sesshoumaru chose to knock on her door for breakfast. _Breakfast! Oh no!_ This would be Mitsue's first morning at the palace and Vanessa had wanted to go to breakfast and meet her. Maybe Sesshoumaru wouldn't notice that she was sick? It wasn't a _bad_ cold… just a little stuffiness. _Who am I kidding?_ "Come in," she called, noting with annoyance how her voice gave away her stuffy head. Sesshoumaru slid the door open but paused before crossing the threshold, a small frown marring his face. His nostrils flared slightly as he sniffed and in just a few strides he had crossed the room and was brushing the backs of his cool fingers against her forehead.

"You are not well," he announced. _Well, so much for him not noticing…_

"It's nothing really, just a little head cold." He stared at her for a moment.

"Nevertheless, you will remain here until you have recovered. Jaken will bring you something to eat."

"But-" She really wanted to be there to meet Mitsue.

"You will stay here." It was a command, not a request. Suddenly she wasn't just talking to Sesshoumaru, her friend, but Sesshoumaru-sama, lord of the West. She was, after all, in his house… His word was law. Vanessa had no choice but to do what he said.

"I'll stay here," she finally said, though a little more sullenly than she had intended. She would do as her host requested, but she didn't have to like it. Sesshoumaru nodded once, but apparently her tone was not lost on him; his eyes softened just a little.

"You will heal faster if you rest. I have duties to attend to that will require my attention for most of the day. Jaken will be in shortly." He turned to leave, but paused when Vanessa called out to him.

"Sesshoumaru…" Turning over his shoulder, Sesshoumaru appraised her with a raised eyebrow. "I hope everything goes well… at breakfast, I mean." He stared at her for what seemed an eternity before he finally responded.

"It is only a meal," Sesshoumaru said before sliding the door shut behind him.

Vanessa couldn't help but smile as she leaned back against her pillows again. She was reminded of her first introduction to Sesshoumaru's staff. Just as he had said, everything had turned out all right… so far. Sesshoumaru had been lord of the West for more than two hundred years. Surely some demoness who may or may not be in disguise, wearing the face of someone he once held dear, was nothing compared to some of the things he had dealt with. But why did she have to get sick? Vanessa wanted to know more about this demoness… Who was she? What did she want? And why did being just a little bit sick mean that she had to be confined to her rooms? The more she thought about it though, the more she thought it had something to do with Sesshoumaru's reputation. He was supposed to despise humans, yet he brought home Rin – a child. She would have served no purpose in his household, so why did he take her in? That must have raised a few eyebrows. Then he brought Vanessa home with him and barely a month later, she had fallen ill. From what she could gather, humans were considered weak by most, if not all, youkai. Illness only intensified that weakness, so wouldn't Sesshoumaru's subjects – and now someone from the Eastern territory – begin to think he was growing soft by taking in weak humans? She didn't want to be the cause of any more trouble for him than she already was.

Resigning herself to her fate, Vanessa closed her eyes in an attempt to go back to sleep, but found the pressure in her head to be too much of a distraction. Moments later, she heard her door slide open again. Half expecting it to be Sesshoumaru, she was surprised to see no one in the doorway. Then tiny green hands lifted a tray onto the table beside the door. _Must be Jaken._ She sat up and, sure enough, there was Jaken, muttering to himself and struggling to get the tray balanced over his head and onto the table. "Jaken?" Vanessa called after he got the tray securely onto the table; she didn't want to run the risk of him spilling tea on himself if he got startled. As predicted, Jaken jumped with a squawk and spun around. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Humans…" she heard him mutter before saying more clearly, "Good, you are awake. As Sesshoumaru-sama requested, I have brought you some food and tea. Now I must leave." That said he shuffled toward the door.

"Jaken, please wait."

The imp paused at the door and turned back to her. "Human, I have very important matters to attend to." _Well… that was uncalled for._

"I just thought that since I haven't seen you around much in the weeks that I've been here, we might take a minute to get to know each other."

"Insufferable girl, I have no time for such sentimentalities. I can't understand how a great lord like Sesshoumaru-sama tolerates your presence." _Ouch._

Still, determined not to let the little green man get to her, Vanessa tried to keep up a positive front. "Well… thank you so much for bringing up the tray for me. I really don't mean to be a bother." Jaken gave her a strange look then, not entirely unlike the one Sesshoumaru wore her she did something 'unexpected'.

"Yes… well… see that you recover quickly, and make sure that you don't infect Rin as well. Sesshoumaru-sama should not need to trouble himself with one let alone two sick humans."

"I'll do what I can," Vanessa responded, suppressing a smile, but Jaken only nodded and left. She had the feeling that somewhere deep down the imp had a special place for Sesshoumaru's humans… or at least for Rin. Maybe he'd start to accept Vanessa with time too.

After Jaken and Sesshoumaru went through the trouble of making sure she had a hot meal, Vanessa thought that the first step in acknowledging their kindness would be to eat it while it was hot. It looked good, though in her current state of stuffiness, she couldn't tell whether or not it smelled good. She had been brought a bowl of rice soaked in some sort of broth with a few soft vegetables, just what a potentially disagreeable stomach might like. One whiff of the pungent tea, however and she could already feel her head beginning to clear. _They sure do know a thing or two about tea._ Taking the tray with her, Vanessa returned to her bed. After eating her meal, she thought it best to take the time she had to sleep off her cold. Sesshoumaru was right: resting would only help her body recover faster. Besides that, the sudden heaviness of her eyelids led her to believe that the tea she drank was doing more than just clearing her airways.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru closed Vanessa's door with a soft sigh. On some level, he had been hoping that she would be present for Mitsue's introduction. He found her scent calming in a way that few others were, but it would not do for her current state of weakness to be made obvious to the youkai who would also be present. She would be too much of a temptation for the baser instincts of some of those youkai. It simply was not safe for her. He made his way into his own suite once again and found Jaken tidying the sitting room. "Jaken," he said, causing the small youkai to jump and then fall to the floor in a bow.

"Yes, milord?"

"Vanessa has fallen ill. You are to bring her appropriate food and a medicinal tea to clear her head."

"For the human woman, my lord? Surely you can't expect…" Whatever thought Jaken was about to voice was abruptly cut off by a cold glare from Sesshoumaru. "Y-yes, Sesshoumaru-sama." The taiyoukai arched an elegant eyebrow as if to ask why Jaken still cowered in his presence, and in the next instant the imp was scurrying out the door and down to the kitchens. _He has his uses…_ Rin once caught a similar illness and Jaken was the one to make the discovery in a human village of an herb that, when infused in a tea, would all but eliminate the symptoms. Unfortunately, the primary side effect was that it would force the drinker into sleep after only a few cups. Vanessa would probably sleep through the day, but it also meant that there was little chance of her slipping out and being found. In the back recesses of his mind, Sesshoumaru wondered how she would react when she discovered that he had sent her into a drug-induced sleep. _Regardless… She requires rest in order to recover._

Since there was nothing more he could do, Sesshoumaru pushed thoughts of Vanessa to the back of this mind. He did not need thoughts of concern for her welfare as a distraction. Setting his impassive mask in place once more, he made his way to the dining hall. As he made his way across the courtyard, he spared a glance toward the morning sky, noting the absolute clarity and wondered at the sudden appearance of yesterday's storm. A brief frown marred his features; there was something strange about that storm, but as quickly as it appeared the frown was gone and the matter was forced from his mind. There was no use in dwelling on what was done. If it happened again… that was another matter.

Sesshoumaru finally reached the great oak doors that led to the dining hall and without hesitation, pushed them open. As usual, all conversation stopped and the current occupants of the room rose from their seats in greeting. A brief scan of the room showed him that Mitsue had chosen – or was given – the place directly to his left, Vanessa's customary place. How would he have remedied this had Vanessa been well enough to attend? Despite the fact that Sesshoumaru preferred the human's company far and above this strange female's, for politics' sake he would have had to move Vanessa farther down the table, but he didn't feel right about that either. He would have to think on it. Now, however, he had to concentrate on the duties that currently called his attention. Sesshoumaru nodded to his staff and retainers, indicating that they could resume their seats, but motioned for Mitsue to remain standing for her introduction. "I, Sesshoumaru, present to you Mitsue, a guest from the Western territory. She has accepted the hospitality of the House of the West for the duration of her stay." That said, he took his seat and began to fill his plate, allowing the rest to do the same. He spared a brief glance to his left and was somewhat surprised to find that Mitsue's appearance was far less shocking in the light of day. True, it was unnerving, her resemblance to Atsuko, but now that he had time to adjust, she really was nothing more than just another noble. He kept telling himself that anyway.

Thoughts of the day's tasks filled his head as Sesshoumaru half-listened to the idle chatter surrounding him when a strangely timid voice sounded from his left. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" He turned his head slightly to look upon Mitsue, acknowledging her presence. She dipped her head respectfully in a small bow. "Forgive me. I am afraid I did not leave you with the best first impression last night. My only excuse is that I was cold and tired and wet. I behaved poorly in face of your hospitality." He simply stared at her for a moment, searching her lowered eyes for any sign of falsity. Finding none, he nodded once.

"I trust your accommodations are acceptable." It wasn't exactly a question, but it was a nicety and reinforced his position as host. He still wasn't entirely sure what to make of this female. Her attitude had certainly improved from the previous night.

"Oh yes! We are very comfortable. Thank you very much for allowing us shelter." Sesshoumaru nodded once more and scanned the room. He had said what protocol required of him, but small talk had never been his forte, nor did he particularly enjoy meaningless conversation. Unfortunately for him, it appeared that Mitsue did and to top it off, everyone else was otherwise engaged in their own conversations.

"Your palace is really very lovely, Sesshoumaru-sama." He returned his gaze to the female on his left.

"Indeed." Mitsue nibbled on her meal daintily.

"It would be wonderful if I could see more of the grounds."

"Perhaps a tour may be arranged for you." She pouted a little.

"Surely no one would know better than you, my lord, what hidden wonders this palace holds." Now, if Sesshoumaru were any judge of female behavior, based on the coy smile and demure lowering of Mitsue's eyes, he could only conclude that she couldn't care less if she were given a tour of the dankest dungeon so long as he was the one giving said tour. He heaved a mental sigh. What could it hurt? He might learn what it was that didn't quite feel right about her – besides her unnerving lack of scent – if he were to actually spend a little time with her.

"There are matters to which I must attend this morning, however… perhaps in the afternoon some time might be spared to give you a personal tour."

If she had less self-control, Sesshoumaru was sure that Mitsue would have clapped her hands and squealed in delight. Instead, she merely smiled brilliantly at him. "Oh, Sesshoumaru-sama, I would like that," she said happily. "I hope it won't be too much trouble." He might have rolled his eyes; trouble or not, he had just granted her exactly what she had hoped to achieve.

"It will be no trouble. Until then, you may go where you like. Now, you will excuse me." He then turned to Saburo. "Come to my office when you have finished, Saburo-san." His meal finished, Sesshoumaru rose from the table and exited the dining hall. As he crossed the courtyard once again, he checked the position of the sun and decided that he had time to check on Rin and Vanessa before going to his office.

Upstairs in his suite, Sesshoumaru found Rin enjoying a breakfast of rice and fried egg, but the moment he stepped through the door, she all but leapt to her feet to greet him. "Ohayou, Sesshoumaru-sama!" The she gave him a slightly puzzled frown. "Did Nessa-neesan not go to breakfast with you?"

"No, Rin. She is not feeling well. You must be quiet so that she may rest."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. Will she be better soon?"

"It is nothing serious." He stepped toward the table and motioned for Rin to continue eating.

"Oh good," she said as she reclaimed her seat and chopsticks. "I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her." _Neither would I._

"You may play outside today, Rin. Be sure to take Jaken with you."

"I will! Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Finish your meal." Sesshoumaru strode across the room to the open door that divided his space from the females' and made his way to Vanessa's room. He silently slid the door open and peered into the dimness within for a moment before crossing the threshold. Just as he had suspected, Vanessa was already asleep. She was curled on her side with her hands fisted in the blankets under her chin. As he knelt beside her bed, he noted that the blanket had fallen away from her shoulder. Almost on instinct, he reached for it to gently pull it back into place, but when he pulled the blanked over her shoulder, his fingers brushed the soft skin of her neck and he snatched his hand away with a small frown. Sesshoumaru stared at her, watching as small puffs of air escaped her slightly parted lips to stir a few strands of hair that had fallen over her face. _Why do I care?_ he asked her silently while moving the hair away from her face and then touching her forehead with the backs of his fingers. The herbs had done their job and broken her fever. Now she had only to sleep off the rest of the effects. He sat back on his heels and continued to watch her sleeping peacefully. _You are human… and as such, should be beneath my concern, but… you are not._ Sesshoumaru rose smoothly to his feet and left, quietly sliding the door closed behind him. He had lingered too long already and Saburo was probably waiting for him.

He found Saburo standing patiently outside his office door and nodded his greeting before proceeding inside. "What do you know of Mitsue?" Sesshoumaru asked the tiger-youkai before taking a seat at his desk.

"Nothing more than what she said at breakfast, my lord. I have never seen her before last night."

"What did she tell you?"

"Just that for most of her life she lived in the mountains to the east. She said that she is the great grand-niece or some such relation to the Eastern lord." Sesshoumaru allowed a small frown. It was possible for younger children with little chance at being an heir to take their families and move away from the palace proper to govern their own small holdings. What she said could be the truth; in which case, she may very well be there to try and gain his favor and possibly improve her status. He would have to ask her more that afternoon.

"What news of Naraku?"

"None of our scouts have seen any sign of him or his puppets. Even the wind witch has been unusually quiet, but they have felt a vague stirring of an aura to the northeast. However, nothing has been confirmed."

Sesshoumaru growled softly. "He is waiting for something. How can it be so difficult to track down one worthless hanyou?"

"With all due respect, my lord, the piece of the Shikon jewel that he holds makes him more powerful than the average hanyou." The Shikon no Tama… a tool for the weak and cowardly, the path for those whose ambition and desire for power far outweigh their natural ability to achieve those goals. No good could come from that jewel, especially when it was tainted by one such as Naraku. Sesshoumaru knew first hand the consequences of dealing with the hanyou and that accursed jewel, all the more reason to have him destroyed. He fixed Saburo with a glare.

"I am well aware of the effects of the jewel. We are finished. Return when you have more information."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. Forgive me." Saburo bowed low and excused himself from the office, leaving the youkai lord to sift through the piles of reports, missives, and other mundane documents that required his attention.

Several hours and a light lunch later found Sesshoumaru reclined against a pile of cushions in the corner of his office, massaging his temples against the onset of a headache. At times he wondered how his father had managed to rule for so long without going insane by the pettiness of his subjects. Then again… perhaps he had. Between the grievances against one another and the land disputes, young lord would have liked nothing more than to eliminate them and be done with it, but that would not be very diplomatic of him and would likely cause more problems than it solved. So, as long as he was acting ruler of the West, he would have to hold their hands – so to speak – and see to it that his subjects were happy, or at least that they got along well enough to prevent major altercations. By the time disputes reached his attention, often the situation had escalated to the point that village heads could no longer exert their authority and, whether a blessing or a curse, the resulting reports and requests for guidance were almost excessively detailed. It saved both Sesshoumaru and the parties involved the time it would take to meet personally, but it still took time to sort out the facts and come to a conclusion. Only rarely was his written decision rejected and then would not only the disputing parties be required to make the journey to the palace, but also the village headman. If Sesshoumaru were made to deal with those who were too incompetent or unwilling to carry out his orders, chances were that he would not be the most patient and accommodating of mediators. So it was really in everyone's best interest to settle matters quickly and effectively before they reached such a state. Reading through the latest set was what had Sesshoumaru easing away a headache by the time he finally finished. He rose from the cushions and stretched before moving the signed and sealed documents from his desk to the pouch near the door to be taken out with the next messenger.

Sesshoumaru picked up the message pouch and stepped through the doorway. He went to the messengers' station near the front gate personally; foregoing a workout that morning and sitting in his office all day had him feeling a bit restless. A good fight would be nice, but there were no rogue youkai in the area that would warrant an attack. Perhaps a walk? A walk or… a tour. He had nearly forgotten that he had said that he would give Mitsue a tour – if he had time. Well, with Rin presumably playing with Jaken and Vanessa very likely still sleeping… he had time. With a small sigh, Sesshoumaru set off for the gardens; he had a feeling that that would be where he would find Mitsue.

It didn't take long to find Mitsue. After Sesshoumaru passed through his building and into the garden behind, it took mere moments to spot her seated on a bench under a painted umbrella. As he stepped onto the path, his boot crunched on the gravel, causing Mitsue to start and turn in her seat toward him. Once she saw who he was though, she smiled brilliantly and rose to give him a proper bow. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I'm so happy you could take some time from your busy day to show me around."

"Indeed."

"Are you ready to begin?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "What would you like to see first?" he asked as they walked back toward the buildings.

"Might I… see where you live?"

He stared straight ahead for a moment. Allowing her into his chambers was not only bordering on improper, but also brought her to close for comfort to Rin and Vanessa's suite. "No," he said firmly. "I will show you where my chambers are located should you need to find me, but the rooms on that part of the floor are off-limits to visitors."

"Oh… I see."

"Come." Sesshoumaru led the way through the building where he lived, showing Mitsue where his office and the library were. He hadn't thought to ask Saburo where she was staying, but he assumed it would be in the hall opposite the stairway from his own. When they reached the top landing, Sesshoumaru was about to point out where his door was when Mitsue sniffed, daintily, though none too discreetly and took a step toward Rin's door. "What are you doing?" he asked and she froze.

"You have the scent of humans on you. It's faint, and I didn't catch it at first, but it's the same scent as is down this hall. May I ask why?"

He glared at her, but she merely stared unblinkingly back at him. "A human child has come under the protection of this Sesshoumaru. Her caretaker and tutor is also human."

"Human? And two no less? But I was under the impression that you despise humans."

"As a race, that is true, but humans are allowed to live on my lands. This is no different."

"But it is! Humans on your land and humans in your house are two entirely different things."

"Enough. They are not to be disturbed and there is much for you yet to see."

"H-hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. Forgive me, it was not my place to question you."

"Indeed."

The air surrounding the remainder of the tour was noticeably tenser than when they started out, but true to his word, Sesshoumaru showed Mitsue what the palace had to offer. It took nearly an hour and a half to show her everything from the kitchens to the dojo to the rarely used great hall, but finally they found themselves once again in the gardens. "Satisfactory, I trust," Sesshoumaru said regarding the tour.

"Oh yes. Thank you so much."

"Then I assume you can find your way back to your rooms? Dinner will be served within the hour."

"Hai, I know the way, thank you. Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Yes." He raised an eyebrow at her.

"If it's alright… I should like to meet these humans of yours sometime."

He stared at her – she seemed sincere… "Perhaps. I will ask that they come to breakfast tomorrow, but it is their choice."

"I see. Well then, will I see you at dinner?"

"No. I will not attend."

"Oh… well, if we don't cross paths again tonight, have a good night."

He nodded and followed Mitsue with his eyes as she retrieved her umbrella from the bench and then turned to give him one last bow before hurrying inside to prepare for dinner. Sesshoumaru then turned and entered the building himself.

He went directly upstairs and through his door; he meant to see if Vanessa had awoken yet, but didn't like to give the casual observer any ideas by going directly to her door. Sesshoumaru stopped short just inside his door though, and felt a small smile creep to his lips. Rin lay curled up on one of the cushions, a blanket half covering her body while Jaken lay sprawled on his back on the floor beside her, a thin line of drool seeping out of the corner of his mouth. Both were sleeping soundly. He crossed the room and stood over the sleeping child. "Rin," he said softly, trying to wake her gently and send her off to her own bed. No response. _She must have exhausted herself chasing the imp all over the compound._ He knelt beside her then and tucked a strand of her unruly hair behind her ear. "Rin, you must awaken and go to your bed." This time she muttered something incoherent, but continued to sleep. Sesshoumaru sighed and shook his head before gathering up her small form in his arm and carrying her into her room. He set her on her feet for a moment and propped her against his leg, to which she instinctually clung, so that he could turn down the covers on her futon. He then dropped to one knee and guided her, half-sleeping into her bed. Once she was settled, he covered her and tucked her blankets around her sides. Finally he stood and gazed down on her – for a human she really was a good child… better behaved than many youkai children he knew for that matter. He shook his head once more and retreated out the door and down the hall to Vanessa's room. This time he frowned after opening the door. _Still sleeping?_ At this rate she would be up all night; perhaps he should have waited a while before sending her the tea? _No matter._ Sesshoumaru backed out the door and returned to his suite, dropping a blanket across Jaken where he lay as he passed by to his bedroom. Now that everyone he spent his evenings with were asleep, he was left with an unusual amount of free time. Well, there were always those books he'd just received from the continent…

The sun was just sinking too low to provide proper light for reading and rather than light a lamp, Sesshoumaru closed his book. Despite the fact that all of his companions had already found sleep, he couldn't seem to find it himself. _Perhaps a bath?_ It was decided; he quickly changed out of his clothes and into a bathing robe in hopes that the warm water would soothe him into restfulness.

Once in the bathhouse, Sesshoumaru took the path up to the smaller pool that was set a little away from the rest. It was his customary bathing spot, somewhat private, but he could still oversee the rest, with the exception of the secluded divided spring. It was large enough that a few others could join him if he so desired, but more often than not, he chose to bathe alone. Setting the towel he had collected at the door on the small stand and hanging his robe on a peg, he slipped into the hot water. He closed his eyes for a moment and allowed the heat to ease the tension in his muscles. After a few minutes of soaking, Sesshoumaru ducked under the water to thoroughly wet his hair. When he came up, however, he was not met with the silence that he had previously been enjoying. Someone gasped from the doorway. "I'm sorry, I didn't…" said person stuttered, and then: "YOU!" That was enough to cause the taiyoukai to crack his eyes open to find Vanessa stalking toward him. It was quite impressive, actually. In that one word, she had managed to convey the essence of both a snarl and the howl of a cat, and he wondered briefly whether or not she was part neko. But no, she was most assuredly human and this was a side of her that he was certain he'd never before seen. Another part of him wondered when she would take notice of his state of undress. As it was, she stopped before he was fully exposed to her, and proceeded to cross her arms under her chest and fix him with a glare that might have been a match for one of his own. "What's the big idea?" she asked heatedly.

_Big idea? _"I am certain I know not of what you speak." Sesshoumaru replied calmly. Yes, he was sure: until now, she had been the picture of politeness. She acted with a demure grace that was entirely appropriate for one of status and breeding, and it had all been genuine. Now she displayed a certain fire that he had always felt simmering just below the surface. It intrigued him, but… what had he done to deserve such treatment? True, he held her in higher esteem than many others in the palace, but she was treading on thin ice to think that even she might get away with it. "You… you drugged me!" _Oh, that._

Well, if he was wondering how she would react before, now he knew. He quirked an eyebrow at her, an action that apparently was not what she wanted as she threw up her hands with an exasperated "Oh!" and turned her back on him for a moment. Sesshoumaru frowned; who was she to turn her back on him?

"You would be wise not to turn your back on this Sesshoumaru again," he warned. Nude or not, he was on the verge of rising from the water to correct the situation when she turned to face him again. _She does not know the volumes she speaks with body language alone,_ he reminded himself. He would hear her out this time.

"You're impossible, you know that?" His frown deepened. "What, did you think that I wouldn't do as you asked? Did you think you had to force me to sleep just so the others wouldn't find out I was sick?"

"I thought no such thing."

"Then why?"

"An unfortunate side-effect, it would seem."

"I… a what?" She stared at him blankly.

"Surely you have noticed a certain… lack of symptoms?"

"Well… yes…"

"Your tea was infused with herbs that I knew would eliminate them."

"Then you would have known that it would also put me to sleep."

"Yes."

Vanessa turned her gaze down to the path before her and kicked a stray rock absently. "You could have warned me."

"Perhaps I should have." She snapped her gaze back to his, the anger in her eyes receding a bit in light of his hint at an apology. "Now, by your leave," he continued, "I should like to finish my bath." Immediately she blushed, as though just realizing his state of undress.

"R-right." With that, she turned and fled to the secluded area of the bathhouse that she preferred. For the second time that night, a small smile could hardly be suppressed, this time at the antics of his other human. _What are they doing to me?_

VvVvVvVvV

After setting her things on the small table beside the spring, Vanessa practically dove under the water, anything to escape her burning embarrassment. She seriously wondered where her common sense had run off to. What on Earth had made her barge in on his _bath_ of all things? Her cheeks flushed anew at the realization that had she taken two, maybe three, more steps, she would have seen him in all his glory. _What was I thinking?_ Just as soon as her blush appeared though, all the blood seemed to drain from her face. _I yelled at him… Really, what was I thinking!_ True, she had been indignant, and more than a little upset that her tea had been drugged, but now that she thought of it, she probably shouldn't have been. Sesshoumaru had never done anything to betray her trust. In fact, everything he'd done since they met had only been in her best interests, and he seemed almost apologetic. She washed quickly, suddenly her bath didn't feel as relaxing as she originally hoped, though she did feel even better now that she was clean. Clean, dry and re-robed, she all but bolted from the bathhouse; at the moment, she couldn't bear to look anywhere near Sesshoumaru's unclothed direction.

Once more in the safety of her room, Vanessa closed the door and leaned against the frame, covering her face with her hands for a moment. She thought about going back to bed, but, thanks to a certain taiyoukai, she'd spent the entire day asleep. Since she had no books, magazines or TV to keep her occupied through the night, stargazing seemed to be the only viable option. It was a nice night, after all – unlike last night. Vanessa changed into her sweats and a t-shirt and then hauled a blanket off of her bed. As she passed through the sitting room, she grabbed a cushion off the floor and proceeded out onto the balcony. A light breeze played in the trees, but otherwise the air was just cool enough to be comfortable so she spread out the blanket and lay back against the cushion. She still couldn't get over how clear the air was.

After a short while, Vanessa heard the door between the two suites open and cringed but sat up and turned toward Sesshoumaru as he approached anyway. "I'm sorry," she said before he could say anything. He paused in the doorway to the balcony.

"For what?"

Vanessa tucked her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them before speaking. "I had no reason to snap at you. All you've done since we've met is watch out for me. That and I interrupted your bath."

"No harm done. I was beginning to wonder if anything made you angry."

She smiled at him. "Sit with me for a while?" At first it didn't look like he would, but then he moved to sit against the outer wall of the building.

"You often come here at night," he observed.

"Back home I would read a book or watch television to help me fall asleep, but I can't do that here," she said, leaning back against the cushion again. "Watching the stars seems to have the same effect, though."

"I see." They sat together in silence for a while, listening to the wind and night creatures going about their business. "You have not eaten since this morning, are you hungry?" Sesshoumaru asked, breaking the silence.

"A little," Vanessa admitted.

"Would you like something?"

"Maybe some fruit?"

"Then you shall have it. Come with me." He unfolded himself from his position on the floor and waited until Vanessa stood as well.

"Are you sure? I can wait until breakfast." She was met only with silence, as he turned walked across the room to the door. _I don't think I'll ever understand that one._

Sesshoumaru led her across the palace grounds to a small staircase next to the dining hall. She couldn't remember if he had pointed out that door when she had first arrived, but she knew that she had never been through it. The staircase led them down into an expansive room with cabinets and counters along three walls and fire pits, banked so that the remaining embers could not escape, and ovens along the fourth. Another door on the far wall looked like it might lead outside, probably to an herb garden. A few tall tables and stools were set out in the middle of the room and dishes and other cooking supplies were stacked on top. The cooks must have set them out in preparation for breakfast tomorrow.

While Vanessa was taking a look around, Sesshoumaru went from one cabinet to another until he produced a pair of teacups and a bowl of fruit. He set those on a table and went to stoke one of the fires to heat water. "You sure know your way around a kitchen," she said as she watched him go about his tasks. He paused and glanced at her over his shoulder from the fire.

"I was a growing pup once." When he didn't expand, Vanessa raised an eyebrow at him, mimicking the expression she had seen on him so many times. Sesshoumaru turned back to the fire, but continued speaking. "Even as heir to these lands I was not allowed to wake the kitchen servants on a whim. If I wanted something after hours, I had to get it myself."

"Not a bad thing to know when one travels as much as you seem to."

"Indeed."

When the tea was finished, Sesshoumaru joined Vanessa at the table and filled both of their cups. "This isn't going to put me to sleep, is it?" she asked. He stared at her. "I'm kidding!" Vanessa took a sip as a way to sort of prove her trust and then started picking at the berries he had found her. "Sesshoumaru… what were your parents like?" He set down his cup and stared at her for almost a full minute before he finally spoke.

"I know little about my mother. She died when I was born and my father rarely spoke of her."

"Oh… I'm sorry."

"It was long ago, though I am almost certain that had I not been born and had he not had the territory to rule, he would have followed her to the grave." The way he spoke, it was as though he were detached, as though they weren't his own parents that he was talking about.

"Wow, he must have cared for her a great deal."

"They were mates," he said, as though that explained everything.

"You mentioned mating before," Vanessa prompted gently. She was intrigued, but also knew that Sesshoumaru didn't much like to talk about his past.

"The ties that bind a mated pair are so strong that it is rare that one will survive the other by any significant amount of time. The grief is too great a burden to want anything more than to join the other in death. My father lived more than three centuries beyond my mother's death. He even took another mate." There was bitterness in his tone as he said the last and then the pieces fell into place. Vanessa gasped.

"Inuyasha's mother?"

"Yes. A human princess by the name of Izayoi."

"Then what happened?"

Silence. Sesshoumaru's eyes seemed to cloud over in memory, and then: "He died protecting that human and the half-breed whelp that is my brother." _That human? Half-breed?_ Somehow those terms didn't sit well with her. Part of it was that she was human herself, but there was something else…

"I see… and then you became ruler after him."

"I did." They fell into silence then, while Vanessa finished her fruit and Sesshoumaru banked the fire again. Vanessa set the dishes in an empty basin and followed her host back to their rooms.

"You can stay a while longer if you like," Vanessa offered when Sesshoumaru paused at her doorway.

"No, I will retire." He turned toward his bedroom then halted and looked over his shoulder. "Mitsue has requested the opportunity to meet you."

"Oh, so you had a chance to talk to her?"

"Yes. Will you join me at breakfast?"

"Of course. So I guess this will be another occasion for Miu and Saika to have their way with me then, huh?" That first morning had not been the last Vanessa saw of the pair of human servants assigned to her and Rin. She had since learned their names and as her handle on the language steadily improved, she was able to talk with them more and learn more about them. Miu, the first to brave touching Vanessa's curls, lived in the castle town just outside the palace gates with her husband and three children – two daughters and a son, while Saika lived just a little farther out on a farm with her husband and four sons. Sesshoumaru gave her a strange look, but nodded.

"Do you wish to bathe in the morning?"

"No, I don't think so. Tonight's bath should be fine."

"Then I will send the women directly to you. They will wake you."

"Alright then, good night, Sesshoumaru."

He nodded once, "Good night."

Vanessa closed the door and shook her head. Would she ever understand Sesshoumaru? One minute it seemed as though he hated everything human and the next he was doing something thoughtful for her or for Rin… both humans. Maybe sometimes he forgot that they were human? Vanessa sighed and resumed her place on the balcony. If Sesshoumaru so much as mentioned the fact that she didn't sleep that night, well… he should have thought about that before he made her sleep all day. Chances were that she would end up napping for a bit, but it wouldn't be a full night's sleep by any means. _Ah, well…_ For the moment, the woman was fully content to simply gaze up at the stars.

Hours seemed to pass in moments and suddenly the sun was rising. Vanessa was on the wrong side of the building to actually see the sunrise, but the lightening of the sky gave away the hour. Reluctantly, she got up and went to her room; she wasn't sure of the exact hour, but thought she should splash some water on her face to refresh herself a bit. After lighting a lamp, Vanessa washed her face and brushed her teeth, then lay back on her bed until Miu and Saika arrived. When they did, there was no room for relaxation. It started with a soft knock on her door and a "Vanessa-sama?" and after a seeming whirlwind of silks, Vanessa found herself in three layers of kimono in varying shades of violet with a shimmering silver outer kimono. Black and silver fish were embroidered on the bottom hem and at the bottom of each sleeve, and her obi was violet swirled with gold. In the month that she had spent at the palace, she had yet to see this particular kimono, but found that she really liked it. The silver was a shade similar to that of the evening gown she had worn so long ago, and the violet complemented her eyes. _I wonder…_

Before she could think too much on it, Miu asked her what she planned on doing with her hair this morning and, for a change of pace, Vanessa thought she'd let her helpers decide. "What do you think I should do?" she asked them. Miu and Saika exchanged a glance.

"Would you allow us to fix your hair for you, my lady?" Miu asked.

"Haven't I told you how I feel about being called 'my lady'?" It didn't feel right, she had no position to speak of, and even if she had, 'my lady' was just so… formal.

"Yes, my lady, you have," Saika responded, causing Vanessa to sigh and shake her head.

"And still you insist on calling me that."

This time Miu spoke. "My lady, it is only proper when addressing one of your station."

"But I have no station here!"

"You hold Sesshoumaru-sama's favor, Vanessa-sama. That alone sets you apart from the rest."

"I give up," Vanessa said in mock exasperation. "If you can think of something appropriate to do with my hair, then by all means, have at it." _I hold his favor? I wonder who else thinks so…_ Immediately, Miu and Saika sat her down on a stool and began working on her hair. A good deal of twisting and tugging later, they let her look in the mirror and she was quite impressed. They had twisted her hair up along the back of her head and secured it with a pair of silver combs – where those had come from, Vanessa couldn't even guess – while remaining length cascaded down to her shoulders. "Miu, Saika, thank you. I like it." After they had made sure that every detail about her dress and appearance was perfect, they left to make sure that Rin was appropriately dressed.

Vanessa shook her head and went to meet Sesshoumaru in his suite. She knocked lightly on the door and then entered without waiting for a response. "You still knock, though you may enter freely. Why?" He had his back to her when she entered, but then turned and stared. Now, staring wasn't an uncommon thing for Sesshoumaru; Vanessa had long since come to accept it. This time, however, the intensity of his gaze made her feel as though she were being scrutinized, as though he were determining whether or not she would pass a test. She blushed under his gaze but responded, "Habit I guess. Something I learned in college… you never know what might be going on behind closed doors."

"I see. Wait here." Vanessa stepped aside as he walked past, presumably to get Rin. When he returned, Rin trailed behind him wearing the cutest little pink kimono with a red and white sakura blossom print pattern. Her hair was done in her trademark lopsided ponytail. _Some things never change._ "Come," Sesshoumaru said and they followed him out the door.

Everything was as it should be when the trio entered the dining hall, except… someone was in 'her' seat. _Mitsue._ Vanessa didn't want to make a fuss or give any indication that she felt put out, after all who was she to complain? But… where was she supposed to sit? After everyone at the table stood to show their respect to their lord, Saburo stepped forward and gave a small bow. Vanessa assumed that it was directed at Sesshoumaru – that is until he addressed her. "Vanessa-san. It would do me great honor if you would sit beside me this morning." _Well… that would fix matters…_ She glanced up at Sesshoumaru and he nodded slightly so she smiled at Saburo.

"It would be my pleasure," she said as she walked toward the proffered seat. Rin took the seat on the other side of her and after some minor shifting around the table, Sesshoumaru indicated that everyone should sit and begin their meal.

After she had filled her dish with rice, eggs and fruit, Vanessa turned to Saburo. "Saburo-san, I am afraid we haven't had the opportunity to talk very much since I have been here."

"Hai. We have both been busy these past weeks."

"So we have, but I would still like to get better acquainted with you."

He smiled warmly, "Well then, if Sesshoumaru-sama permits, perhaps you would like to join my mate and me for dinner some night? Rai should be returning within the next few days."

Vanessa grinned at him. "I would like that. Rai is your mate then? I don't think I've met her."

"No, you wouldn't have. Her mother fell ill and she left to tend to her shortly before you arrived."

"Oh… I'm sorry to hear that."

"Do not be troubled, she is a sturdy female. I have no doubt that she will pull through."

"I hope she does." They both returned to their meals then, but throughout their conversation, Vanessa could practically feel Mitsue's eyes on her. She glanced up after a few bites to find the demoness openly staring at her so she smiled. Mitsue seemed slightly taken aback, but pasted a smile on her face too.

"Vanessa, is it?"

"Hai, Mitsue-san."

"You know my name?" Mitsue asked, startled.

"It is true we haven't been introduced, but I know who you are."

"I must say… For a human, you are a pretty thing." Out of the corner of her eye, Vanessa thought she caught a small frown on Sesshoumaru's face, but she blinked and it was gone so she pushed it from her mind. A more pressing matter would be the rather condescending youkai female across the table from her. Mitsue spoke to her as though she were a child… or a pet. _Well, I've got cheek-pinching aunts back home… This should be a piece of cake._

"Arigatou, though I am sure my looks are no match for your own." Mitsue laughed and turned to Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I like her! It's no wonder you keep her around. She is quite charming." Sesshoumaru made a sort of non-committal sound, but remained otherwise silent so Mitsue turned back to Vanessa. "Vanessa-san, I do not mean to offend, but your accent is strange."

To Vanessa's left, Sesshoumaru stiffened imperceptibly and Saburo glanced at her, but she was almost certain that Mitsue didn't notice so, without skipping a beat, she responded, "My home is in a land far to the East."

"To the East?" Mitsue asked, "I live in the Eastern territory. Perhaps I know of your village." Vanessa shook her head.

"No, farther still than the Eastern territory." At that, Sesshoumaru turned his gaze on her. He probably thought she was being foolish in disclosing her origins, but she had a plan – he would have to trust her. She hoped that he would let her follow through. Vanessa never took her eyes off of the demoness and could see the confusion flitting across her face.

"Farther East? But… beyond the Eastern territory is nothing but water. Surely you must be mistaken."

She shook her head, "No. Far across the ocean to the east is an entire continent. That is where my home is."

"Then you have indeed traveled a great distance. How did you come here?"

Vanessa sighed, "I'm afraid I don't remember very much. The details are fuzzy, but I think I must have been marooned on this island nation of yours. I wandered around for a time and was very nearly killed by a rogue youkai when I happened across Sesshoumaru-sama. To my eternal gratitude, he quickly dispatched my pursuer and allowed me to stay as a guest of his House until such a time as I find a way to go home."

"That is quite the tale. Is this the truth, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Mitsue asked, turning to Sesshoumaru.

"It is as she says," he stated. _Thank you, Drama101,_ Vanessa praised mentally.

"Rin has been a great help in teaching me your language. In return for Sesshoumaru-sama's hospitality, I have been teaching her some of my language and a few other subjects from my homeland. There is little else that I can do for my lord, but I owe him my life." It was the truth; Vanessa wasn't sure how she could ever hope to repay him for everything he'd done. She was almost certain that she would have starved or been killed by another youkai before she found anyone to take her in as he had. Now that she had gotten to know him and had seen a side of him that she knew few others had, she didn't think she would have wanted it to turn out any other way.

"Vanessa-san, would you like to take a walk in the gardens with me? I should like to hear more of this far away land of yours," Mitsue said and Vanessa didn't need the brief look of warning Sesshoumaru sent her way to know that she would have to watch what she said from here on out. She knew enough that she could probably combine a little European history with her own to make it seem that her culture was advanced at this point in time to have made a journey across the ocean.

"If Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't have any objections, I would like that." She turned a hopeful expression toward him and despite the small amount of apprehension she felt from him, he consented. Vanessa decided that she would have to make a point of paying him a visit later and tell him everything she found out about her. It would seem that she was correct in guessing that Mitsue would be more open with another female – human or not. This day certainly would be interesting.


	13. Fool Me Twice

A/N: to all of my lovely ffn readers: First, you are now caught up with that other website I post to, and second, I just noticed something that might be part of the cause for some confusion in earlier chapters… In my original files, I have what I like to call "scene dividers" between perspectives in each of my chapters and for some reason they don't show up in fanfiction. Eventually I'm going to replace those with something that will hopefully be more acceptable to whatever filters this site uses on my documents. Please forgive the flood to your inboxes when I figure that out.

A/N: I really tried to get this chapter out before leaving for a week-long trip to Georgia… Well, that didn't happen. I didn't write much while on the road and even if I had, internet wasn't so hot where we were staying.

This chapter so did not want to be written. I was paid an extended visit by "Writer's Block." Long story short, "Writer's Block" tried to intimidate me into halting all progress in my writing, but good prevailed and I finally got this chapter off my desktop and into the internet. The point I was trying to make in there somewhere is that ever since I started my second story (_Relics_… whose prologue will be getting a slight – or major – revision in the near future, and then I will post it here on ffn), inspiration for both of them seems to have fled my mind. It was a full week after I wrote the last sentence in either of them before I could put something worthwhile down on this chapter…

Another random note… bear with me please, I was watching Inuyasha on Adult Swim the other night (actually, last week now) and it was ep #156 "Final Battle at the Graveside! Sesshomaru vs. Inuyasha." There wasn't so much a battle between them, but when Sesshoumaru entered the tomb and ignored Kagome and the gang, ignored Hosenki, even ignored Naraku and landed right next to Inuyasha only to deck him and walk away… I just about fell out of my chair laughing. (I still laugh to think about it) Now, don't get me wrong, I love Inuyasha. I think he's great (Sesshoumaru is way cooler, but Inuyasha is still great) but I was so not expecting that. It made my night. Thought I'd share.

In other news: on with the show. Please forgive the lengthy A/N. I hope to redeem myself by offering you, my patient readers, what I hope to be a sufficiently exciting chapter.

Into the East

Chapter thirteen: Fool Me Twice

Posted: 8 August 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

It had been almost two months since Bryce last saw his fiancée, and he was on his way to her parents' house to see if there was anything he could do for them. He had given up hovering around the phone after the first month and decided that the only way to take his mind off his worries was to dive back into his work, and the law firm he worked for had several major cases that could make or break his career. It had distracted him from Vanessa, but now that he was nearing her parents' home for his weekly visit, he couldn't help but to think of her. Bryce knew that she hadn't been happy with him for a while before that party and he knew that it had a lot to do with how little time they had spent together of late. She didn't seem to understand that if he didn't show that he was committed to the firm, there was no way for him to move up. To his thinking, a few missed holidays was nothing compared to the reputation he was building for himself. He was doing it to prove that he could support her, that he was worthy of her. He couldn't have known that his actions would drive her away, but did she really feel so strongly about it that she would leave and tell no one where she was going? No… that didn't seem like Vanessa at all. She loved her family and friends too much. She loved him too much, or so he assumed. So what happened to her? If someone took her, why wasn't there a ransom? He shuddered to think about it, but if someone had killed her, then why wasn't there a body? The police had scoured the surrounding forests with their dogs, but her trail had come up short on the trail leading from the garden behind the main house. It was as though she just disappeared. She could have doubled back, but then… why hadn't anyone seen her? So many unanswered questions…

Bryce pulled his sedan up to the gate surrounding the Cartwright home and hit the intercom. Security quickly verified his identity and allowed him through. When he reached his usual parking place, he noticed a strange car on the drive. _William and Melinda must have a visitor_. Then, as though summoned by Bryce's curiosity, a tall Asian man exited the front door of the manse and turned to wave to the couple before continuing to his car – the one that Bryce had noticed. As they passed one another, Bryce received only a curt nod and a cold look in response to his greeting. _Pompous, arrogant…_ "Who was that?" he asked the older couple when he reached the front door.

"That delightful young man is a friend of Vanessa's," Melinda responded.

"He is?" Bryce turned to stare after the vehicle.

"Oh yes. Well, he says so anyway. He said that they traveled together once, quite some time ago and when he heard of her disappearance, he came right over to offer us any assistance that we might need. Mr. Yoshida has the most astounding connections. He's stopped by a few times to check up on us."

"Has he now…" Something didn't quite add up, but he pushed the matter from his mind and turned to give his parents away from his parents a proper greeting: a warm hug for Melinda and a firm handshake for William. Then they all went inside for some coffee.

"I'm sure you're famished after that drive, I'll have some snacks brought up for you, Bryce." Melinda was always making sure he was taken care of, as though he were her own son. It was one thing he had always loved about her. "The girls took a few friends up to the cottage on the shore for the weekend," she continued as they walked inside, "so the house has been emptier than usual."

Once they were all sitting around the table with a small, but delicious looking spread of cakes and pastries to go with their coffee, Bryce decided to broach the subject that he had fought with through the entire ride out there. "How long can we keep going on like this?"

"What do you mean, son?" William asked him, frowning.

"I mean there's nothing out there to say where Nessa went. How can we know she's even coming back?"

"Bryce! How can you say such a thing? My daughter will come back. We have to have faith in her. It's only been two months, after all." Melinda shook her head, fully intent on denying the possibility that her daughter might not come home.

"All I'm saying is that sooner or later the time will come when we will need to move on. We can't be surprised when that happens. I'm not giving up on her, not yet, but I have to be honest with myself. It's entirely possible that she will not come back." Silence reigned over the trio as Bryce's words sank in. No one wanted to believe that his words could be true, but now that they were out in the open, they could no longer be denied. How much longer could they wait for their beloved daughter and fiancée?

VvVvVvVvV

Vanessa felt slightly uneasy at first, being alone with Mitsue. She remembered what Sesshoumaru had said when she first came to the palace: _"Some may not hesitate to threaten you because you are human."_ But Sesshoumaru didn't appear concerned and after the first several hours of friendly conversation, she forgot all of her earlier fears. It was clear that neither was quite certain what was appropriate conversation between species, but gradually the females grew more comfortable with one another and Vanessa was a little surprised at how much they had in common. Mitsue came from a much larger family than Vanessa did, but she was the second child and oldest daughter, just as Vanessa was. They laughed together at the over-protectiveness of older brothers and the hero worship of younger sisters. They shared stories of times when their older brothers "protected" them from other boys and of how certain younger sisters tried to imitate them to the point of being a nuisance. Of course, Vanessa had to tell her stories carefully so as not to let slip any information that would give away the fact that she was not from this era. Some of it could be counted as cultural differences, but something like a car or a movie… First of all, there wasn't a word at that point in the Japanese language and second, to try and explain it would involve telling about principles that had not yet been discovered or invented… It was just better to steer clear of dangerous topics.

During the first week of Mitsue's stay, Vanessa had spent a few hours each day with the demoness. Despite their differences and the occasional awkward moment, it was nice to have an adult female to talk to. With the help of Rin and Sesshoumaru, Vanessa's Japanese continued to improve and with her ever-increasing vocabulary, and she was able to teach them both more about her own language. Rin always had so many questions that Vanessa rarely had to think about what topics to broach in her lessons. Sesshoumaru's only concern on the matter was that she learn Vanessa's language and anything else that will help her find a place for herself when she was grown. Even at her young age, Rin seemed to be showing an interest in being a healer. She never said why exactly, but she did say that she wanted to help save lives. Still, even though Rin was rather mature for her age, and when Sesshoumaru chose to indulge her in conversation, he was always a good source for intriguing discussion, but there was just something about good old-fashioned girl talk that couldn't be found anywhere else. Vanessa soon discovered that even highborn youkai females felt the urge to giggle from time and again. She and Mitsue had been getting along really well until Mitsue dropped a bomb that Vanessa wasn't entirely sure she was prepared to handle.

Rin was somewhere in the palace learning her characters and Vanessa and Mitsue had taken a small picnic out to the gardens where they were currently enjoying the sunshine, talking about nothing in particular when Mitsue turned to Vanessa. "Nessa-chan," she began, using the familiar name she had adopted soon after her arrival, "I have a question for you."

"Alright. What's on your mind?" Vanessa responded, setting down the piece of fruit she had been nibbling.

"I'd like to get to know Sesshoumaru-sama, do you have any suggestions?"

"Well… he's not much of a talker, so small talk really wouldn't get you anywhere. I suppose you could start by getting to know Rin."

"The child?" Vanessa had noticed that Mitsue never seemed very thrilled to be in the presence of the girl. Or maybe she was simply indifferent?

"Yeah, she's a wonderful little girl. Why do you ask? I thought you were just sort of passing through here."

"Yes, well, I suppose you could say I've had my eye on Sesshoumaru-sama for a while now and there hasn't been any occasion to present myself to him before now."

"I see." Vanessa figured it might be something like that, but Sesshoumaru hadn't made any comment on it. In fact, he really hadn't said anything about Mitsue since she arrived.

"He doesn't… have an intended mate, does he?" Mitsue asked, suddenly uncertain. "Unless… Is it you?"

"I don't…" Vanessa started to say, but then her companion's words sank in. "What? Oh no. No, no, no it's nothing like that." For some reason her cheeks felt unusually warm and an evil smile developed on her companion's face.

"My dear Nessa-chan, I do believe you are blushing."

"I am not. It's just… warm out. Whew… don't you think so?" she asked, fanning herself while Mitsue laughed softly.

"I do find it curious," the demoness continued, "that powerful, eligible bachelor such as our Sesshoumaru-sama would take in an attractive female, even if she is human, for no other reason than to care for his human child."

"He's not like that, and besides, I have a fiancée back home. Sesshoumaru-sama knows that. This whole situation isn't what you think. It's absurd to think so, really. Even if I had my sights set on him – which I don't – he wouldn't have me. I am human, after all." Why on earth was she getting so flustered? There wasn't anything there. There couldn't be. She was engaged to be married and she was happy with her husband-to-be, wasn't she?

"If that's what you think… So, Sesshoumaru-sama is still unattached." Vanessa nodded warily. "Do you happen to know what he likes in a female?"

"I don't… think I'm the best person to answer that." Suddenly, she was feeling very uncomfortable with the conversation and began to pack up her things. "I should probably go and check on Rin."

"Of course. Forgive me if I've been too forward," Mitsue said, also rising.

"No, it's alright. I just think it's time for me to go back in. Why don't you just try talking to Sesshoumaru-sama? He seems like a fairly straightforward person to me."

"Perhaps I will. I wish you a good evening, Nessa-chan."

After they parted ways, Vanessa hurried – while trying not to look like she was hurrying – back to the shelter of her room. What had just happened? The youkai here didn't seriously think she was just some sort of… plaything for Sesshoumaru… did they? Once inside her shared apartment, she moved quickly to her bedroom and after sliding the door securely shut, she sagged against the frame. _How embarrassing…_ To think, Sesshoumaru taking her as his mate… it was crazy! Surely he would want some powerful, influential female to have his children – pups – and not some lost, homeless human girl from the future. It would never work anyway; she was human and he was youkai. They were from two entirely different worlds. Then again… Inuyasha's mother was human, but then, look at Sesshoumaru's utter loathing for anything to do with his half-brother. And why was she even thinking about it? Soon she would be home, leading a normal life with her normal family and her normal fiancée, and Sesshoumaru would forget she ever existed. Why did that thought cause an acute pain in her soul?

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru returned to his quarters after the evening meal. During the past week, Vanessa had made it a point to accompany Mitsue to the dining hall. She seemed to be doing everything within her power to befriend the demoness and make her feel welcome, but tonight she had been absent from dinner. In fact, he hadn't seen her since early that morning and it was unusual that they hadn't crossed paths at all during the day. Perhaps he should check on her. He crossed the threshold separating their suites and walked quietly down the narrow hall to her room only to find her door closed. Was she sleeping already? Maybe she had fallen ill again. Sesshoumaru rapped lightly on the doorframe and waited a long moment before receiving a response from within. "Come in," Vanessa called softly; she sounded distracted. He slid the door open and found her seated on her bed staring out the window with her back to him.

"Are you well?" he asked, approaching quietly "You missed dinner." Vanessa turned to face him.

"Did I?" She looked genuinely surprised. "I didn't realize. Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"I see." Sesshoumaru turned to leave her with her thoughts, now that he was satisfied that the woman hadn't fallen ill again.

"You don't have to go," she said softly, halting him in his tracks. "Actually, I found out something interesting today and it involves you." That piqued his interest, so he re-entered the room and sat down on the edge of her bed beside her.

"What is this new information you have found?" he asked, curious.

"Well, I spent the afternoon with Mitsue and everything was going really well at first, and then she started asking if you had anyone in mind to claim as a mate." Sesshoumaru felt his eyes widen slightly. He had thought, among other things, that this might have been her goal, but she had not sought him out at all since the night she arrived. He was surprised that she had revealed as much to Vanessa as she had. "Then she said something really crazy."

Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to her when he heard her small nervous laugh. What could Mitsue have possibly said to cause this sort of reaction? "She suggested that you intended to mate _me_." He stared at her. How was he to respond to that? Of course the notion was… absurd, he decided, although, even in his own mind it sounded hollow, somehow superficial, and _that_ thought was one more unsettling than he wished to deal with at the moment. "But it's crazy, right? Anyway, I told her that my being here was completely innocent." He nodded and without another word, he rose from his seat to retire to his own room when Vanessa stopped him again.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes."

"You can probably expect Mitsue to come looking for you sometime in the next few days. She wanted to know what you liked in a female and I sort of told her that if she wanted to get to know you and earn your favor, she should just try talking to you, but I did warn her that mindless small talk wouldn't get her anywhere."

"Indeed. Then when my mind goes numb for lack of stimulating conversation, the blame may be laid at your feet?" Vanessa laughed.

"Oh she's not that bad, but if it comes to that, sure. Blame me, but it makes me wonder…" she said, cocking her head, "Does this mean that you find my conversation 'stimulating'?"

"Hn. It hasn't killed me yet."

"I'll take that as a compliment," she said with a grin. "Just one more thing…"

"What is it?"

"It's just something I was thinking about earlier… I was wondering… You won't forget about me, will you? I mean, whether I find a way home or end up staying in this era to grow old and die… will you remember the time we've spent being friends?" How could he ever forget this strange creature? The fact that she was unlike anything he ever had or ever would happen across was cause enough for her to be remembered, but besides that she was the first in a great many years to be called his friend. Yes, she would be remembered.

He snorted. "A foolish mortal sentiment," and much to his surprise, she laughed at him.

"I thought you'd say something like that. Don't ever change, Sesshoumaru… Sure, you could smile and laugh a little more, but other than that, don't change a thing." Sesshoumaru gave the woman a perplexed look and left, finally able to do so without interruption.

_So, Mitsue seeks a proposal,_ he thought as he dressed for bed. She would have to make a far better impression on him than she had so far if she wanted more than a second thought. Then his thoughts turned once again, however unbidden, toward the human woman in the next set of rooms. This happened far more often of late than he would have liked and, though it disturbed him, they were not entirely unpleasant thoughts… Perhaps if he were – and he shuddered to think it – human, he might not have hesitated to challenge the claim laid on her, but that was simply not possible. First, he was most assuredly _not_ human, and second, the man he might have challenged currently resided a half century in the future.

The blood of youkai and human were simply never meant to mingle; both sides knew this and with the rare exception, both sides shunned the byproducts of such a pairing. Sesshoumaru abruptly cut off that line of thought before he trod further into treacherous territory than he already had. How far had he fallen that he should have to convince himself that his arguments against mating a human were sound? How far had he fallen that he should, for however brief an instant, entertain the notion of courting a certain human – a charismatic, intelligent and decidedly beautiful human, but a human nonetheless? The simple truth of it was that his world had turned upside down the moment _she_ had stumbled into his life and it was growing increasingly more difficult to determine up from down, right from left, north from south… difficult, yes, but by no means impossible. Not yet. He simply had to keep his wits about him – at least until Vanessa returned to her own time and his world righted itself. Despite that fact that he felt not the least bit drawn to the demoness who wore the face of his Atsuko, perhaps she would indeed prove to be the distraction necessary to keep his thoughts from turning traitorous. It had been far too long since he had spent any amount of time with a female outside of business; simple conversation wouldn't hurt anything, would it? Vanessa was right after all – he would never learn Mitsue's true purpose without speaking with her. Sesshoumaru heaved a resigned sigh as he settled himself on his soft mattress; he hoped that the demoness wasn't as frivolous as the countless other females who sought a proposal from him.

True to Vanessa's word, the next morning at breakfast, Mitsue requested Sesshoumaru's company on a walk through the gardens. A discreet, albeit unnecessary, nudge under the table, countered by a silent glare – he truly allowed that woman far too many liberties with his person – later, Sesshoumaru consented on the condition that they return before midday, as he had several treaties to review and come to a decision on before day's end. Mitsue seemed thrilled at the prospect and Vanessa wore a smug little smirk; he would have to speak with her later about offering her unwanted opinions. He was entirely capable of making his own decisions and had, in fact, previously decided to hear Mitsue out.

After breakfast, Mitsue went to her room to retrieve a parasol to shield her from the sun and then met Sesshoumaru on the stone path leading through the main garden. _Let's get this over with_, the taiyoukai thought with an internal sigh. "Sesshoumaru-sama! I'm so pleased you agreed to walk with me." She smiled pleasantly up at him and he returned it with a nod, motioning for her to start down the path.

"It would not do for you to think this Sesshoumaru remiss in duties befitting a host." Her smile faltered for an instant at his persistent formality, but he felt it was beneath his concern and so spared it only a passing thought, though he supposed he might be a bit more receptive to conversation.

"I really do admire your gardens, Sesshoumaru-sama. I find them soothing."

"On occasion, I myself seek the quiet solitude of certain private gardens," he admitted, causing Mitsue to nod enthusiastically.

"I steal away to a special room back home when I need to be alone. It is a comfort to have a place that I can call my own away from my chambers." She paused, twirling her parasol, Sesshoumaru halted as well and turned to her. "I was beginning to think we had nothing in common." He stared at her for a moment before continuing down the path as it curved around a large clay pot overflowing with red flowers. Mitsue had to walk quickly to catch up and when she did, Sesshoumaru regarded her with a sidelong glance.

"What is the true purpose for your visit to my home, Mitsue-san?" he asked, deciding to get directly to the point. He was amused to find the demoness falter in her steps and fall behind. Yes, he was in perfect control of the situation.

"I… what I mean is… well, you see…" she stammered.

"A lady of the East should choose her words carefully before responding, else she appear less intelligent than she truly is," Sesshoumaru responded casually, resulting in a horrified expression gracing Mitsue's face.

"Forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama. The truth is, it is widely known that you have not taken a mate and have no heir. I had thought to present myself to you, but I admit that once I met you, I was rather intimidated. I apologize for not making my intentions known."

Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment, pondering the best way to diplomatically refuse. "I have no tolerance for games of intrigue, especially within my own home. However, if it is common knowledge that I have neither a mate nor an heir, you must also know that I do not require the political gain of a consort, nor do I seek a mate. As for an heir… technically the lands would go to my younger half-brother," he said with a small frown.

"But you hate the hanyou!" Mitsue blurted and Sesshoumaru glared at her.

"That may be so, however I do not plan on perishing anytime soon."

"Surely my lord knows that accidents can happen. The Inu no Taisho was a great warrior and he was brought down by a burning human dwelling." Sesshoumaru whirled on her, forcing her back.

"That was no accident," he growled. "That was the result of his own foolish mistakes." He would not make the same mistakes as his father, and that included mating a human. Nothing good could come from it.

"H-hai, my lord. My apologies." He growled once more and turned down the path again.

"Come," he commanded and Mitsue hurried to comply.

They continued on in uneasy silence until they reached the midpoint in the trail, signifying the beginning of the return trip ffto the front of the garden. There, Sesshoumaru came to a halt and waited for Mitsue to draw up to his side. He knew that he had spoken brashly and was failing miserably in his task of "getting to know" Mitsue. Silence reigned for a few more moments before it seemed that the demoness could no longer tolerate it. "Sesshoumaru-sama? Is something wrong?" she prompted. He turned to her, noting her downcast eyes.

"I have been advised that it would not be unwise to 'get to know you,' as it were." She looked up at him and blinked; he fought the urge to roll his eyes. "I do not often find conversation enjoyable; however, for the duration of your stay, I will make an effort to be more tolerant." Mitsue stared up at him with wide eyes; clearly she had not been expecting such a concession.

"You would do that for me, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked in awe.

"Hn. I would do that to preserve my current good relations with the lord of the East."

"I see… I would appreciate the effort. Who knows, maybe you'll change your mind." _Doubtful,_ he thought, but he refrained from voicing it; after all, he did say he would be more tolerant.

"We should return," he said instead. "I have work to attend to."

The return journey was passed in a much more companionable silence, with Mitsue offering the occasional comment on the scenery.

VvVvVvVvV

Two days after Vanessa missed dinner, Mitsue came to see her. Thus far, the only others to come to the suite she shared with Rin were Sesshoumaru and Jaken, and of course Miu and Saika, so she was a little surprised when a knock sounded on the hall door and she wasn't expecting any of those people. She poked her head out of her bedroom door. "Yes?" she called, thinking it was Jaken or one of the human women.

"Nessa-chan, may I come in?" came a somewhat muffled response.

"Oh!" She hurried to the door and swung it open to reveal Mitsue. "Konichiwa, Mitsue-san," she greeted. "Actually, you can't come in here."

"Why not? I had hoped to speak with you, but if you'd rather I didn't…"

"Oh, no! It's nothing like that," Vanessa assured the demoness, stepping into the hall and closing the door behind her. "It's just that youkai are not allowed in these quarters. Sesshoumaru-sama's orders." She wasn't sure who knew of the barrier, and especially since Mitsue was a visitor of questionable origins, she thought it would be best to keep that bit of information to herself. "Why don't we go out into the garden instead?" she suggested.

Once outside and seated on a shaded bench, Vanessa turned to Mitsue. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I wanted to make sure that I had not offended you the other day, and I wanted to tell you that I took you up on your advice."

"My advice?" Vanessa asked, puzzled.

"Yes, you said to talk to Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Oh, right. How did it go?" Sesshoumaru never mentioned what happened on the walk he had taken with Mitsue or any following meetings, for that matter.

The demoness took a breath. "Well, at first I was afraid I had offended him and he would send me home outright. My tongue has a tendency of getting away from me."

"Seeing as you're still here, everything must have turned out alright in the end."

"In a way, yes. Sesshoumaru-sama is most difficult to speak with… he has a rather formidable presence."

"That he does," Vanessa agreed with a small shake of her head.

"And you were right," Mitsue continued. "Sesshoumaru-sama is very straight forward. He asked me right out what my purpose here is, and what could I do besides tell him that I had hoped to present myself as a potential mate, or at the very least a consort. There are many successful unions that never forged a mating bond, but he immediately refused on both accounts. I do not understand. He is young, powerful, lord of an entire territory, and yet he seems to have no desire to produce a true heir. As it is, his younger half-brother stands to inherit the lands should anything happen to Sesshoumaru-sama, and from what I understand, the hanyou is brash, rude and unrefined – entirely unfit to rule."

"I have met Inuyasha…" Vanessa began, not entirely certain how to defend the half-demon she hardly knew. "Of course, at the time, I did not speak your language, but from what his friends have told me, it's true, there is no love wasted between the brothers; however, the one thing they share is a strong sense of honor. I couldn't honestly say whether Inuyasha would make a good ruler in Sesshoumaru-sama's stead, but I wouldn't underestimate him. As for Sesshoumaru-sama's refusal, well, there may be more to that than you can see."

"What do you mean?"

"It isn't my tale to tell, but I will say that he was betrothed once, long ago."

"Oh… I didn't realize." Vanessa gave her a calculating stare, something she had picked up from Sesshoumaru, most likely. How could Mitsue know nothing of Sesshoumaru's long-dead love when she looked nearly identical to her?

"I wouldn't bring it up though," she warned. "Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't seem to like to speak about his past." _Well… that's not exactly true – just certain parts of his past._ Besides, talk of Atsuko coming from her look-alike would more than likely cause Sesshoumaru some amount of distress, though just as likely, he wouldn't display any of it outwardly. Just the same, Vanessa would rather that he weren't put in the situation. "Do you have plans to meet again?" she asked, trying to redirect the flow of the conversation.

"Yes!" Mitsue said excitedly, "We will take another walk in the garden tomorrow. Perhaps I will be able to change his mind about a proposal after all?"

"Maybe," though Vanessa wasn't overly fond of the idea of Sesshoumaru settling down with this particular demoness. She liked her well enough, but there was something about her that haunted the back of Vanessa's mind like a dark cloud. "It's getting late, Mitsue-san. I think that dinner will be starting soon."

"I believe you are right. Will you be attending this evening?" Vanessa shook her head.

"No, I'm afraid not. I told Rin that I would have dinner with her upstairs tonight. The dining hall is a bit much for a little girl to deal with every night and I'm amazed she isn't bored to tears with no other children to sit with."

"Well, I suppose I will see you tomorrow then?"

Vanessa nodded, "Definitely."

After the females parted ways, Vanessa made a trip to the kitchens to request that a meal be sent up for her and Rin. That task competed, she returned to her room to find Rin sitting at the small table practicing her characters. She looked up at once when the older girl entered and smiled broadly as she lifted up the bit of parchment for her to see her handiwork. Although Vanessa didn't know what the symbols represented, she could see that the girl had made a great effort in making them as neat as can be. "That's great, Rin! I can tell you practice is paying off."

"Thank you, Nessa-neesan! Sesshoumaru-sama says that I have to learn to read and write, but sometimes it's hard." Vanessa sat down beside her and sifted through the parchment.

"I think that everyone should learn," she said, selecting a page with several characters repeated in neat columns. "Can you tell me what these say?" Rin nodded and rose up onto her knees, pointing proudly to each character as she said what it meant.

"This one means 'bear,' and this one is 'river,' and that one means 'happy.'"

"At this rate, you'll be a regular scribe in no time!"

"There's still so much that I don't know," the child admitted with a rueful sigh.

"But that is why Sesshoumaru has none but the best teachers to help you. With his help, soon you'll be reading books filled with stories beyond your wildest imagination. He has a library full of books and scrolls, you know. I'm sure you could find information on just about anything in there." Vanessa glanced down at the scattered parchment again. Maybe Sesshoumaru could track down some writing utensils that didn't involve brush and ink. She had been thinking for quite some time about keeping some sort of a journal, recording the events of her stay in feudal Japan; she didn't want to ever forget.

Just as Rin finished packing up her supplies, their food came: roasted chicken with rice and vegetables. The girl came back into the room and sat down again, eagerly waiting for Vanessa to fill their bowls. Vanessa smiled at her; it seemed like the smallest things excited her and she wondered again how she came to be in Sesshoumaru's company. Sure, he had said that he saved her from a pack of wolves, but what was she doing so alone that she needed saving anyway? She was so young – probably no more than seven years. Didn't she have parents who missed her? That thought gave her pause though… what if the wolves had killed her parents? _The poor girl!_ Vanessa had the sudden urge to give her a hug and never let go, but knowing Rin, that would only lead to questions. How could she dredge up memories that would surely bring her pain when she seemed so content here?

Vanessa ate almost mechanically as she watched Rin and half-listened to her chatter, but her mind was everywhere at once. Sesshoumaru obviously cared for the girl in his own way, but he was no mother. The sudden image of the stoic lord trying to explain "the birds and the bees" to a teenage Rin almost made her choke on her rice, causing said child to look up at her in concern. "Are you alright, Nessa-neesan?"

"Of course Rin, I was just thinking."

"What were you thinking about?" Vanessa blanched.

"Um… well, maybe when you're older," she stuttered, but Rin just shrugged it off and began picking the last bits of food from her bowl. Maybe she _would_ be there to tell Rin when she was older. Sometimes it seemed like she would never get home and she felt a little torn on the matter. She really wanted to go back, if only to let everyone know she was ok, but she had also made so many friends in this era and many of them probably wouldn't be around when she returned to her time. She'd never get to see Rin again, let alone see her grow up, that is – if she ever made it home. It was unsettling.

Setting aside what she thought were groundless worries at the moment, Vanessa decided to teach Rin a game. There were still a few more hours before the girl was supposed to go to bed, so she told her to go back to her room and get some scraps of parchment and something to write with. No child, she thought, should go through life without learning to play tic-tac-toe. It was a simple enough game and food for countless hours of mindless entertainment if the need arose, and one didn't even need paper to play: a patch of dirt and a stick would do nicely as well. It didn't take long at all for Rin to learn and soon they each had a collection of wins, but also an ever-growing number of "cat's games" or ties. Rin had just won her tenth game (against Vanessa's eight) when Sesshoumaru came in. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin exclaimed gleefully, "Look! Nessa-neesan has taught me a game! And I'm winning!"

"Is that so." By all appearances, he seemed uninterested, but Vanessa could see the hint of amusement in his eyes. "What sort of game is this?" he asked finally.

"It's just something kids play to pass the time where I'm from. Each player takes turns placing their mark in one of nine spaces on a grid and the first to make three in a row wins."

"And you find this activity… amusing?"

"Oh yes," Vanessa replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It can get very competitive. Would you like to play?" He seemed to consider it, but then his pride won out.

"Perhaps another time."

"Rin, sweetie, why don't you go get ready for bed?" Vanessa suggested.

"Hai!"

She watched Rin scamper off to her room before smiling sweetly up at Sesshoumaru. "So… how's Mitsue?" He glared at her and Vanessa had to smother a giggle. He was too fun to tease; she just had to remember that, unlike all of her other friends, he could easily tear her in two if he so chose.

"She is not a complete prattling fool, if that is what you mean," he said, "though she would do well to control her tongue, and she is still most insistent in her desire to be my consort."

"Won't take 'no' for an answer, hm? Well, you're lord of these lands, she'll just have to listen to what you say. It is your choice who you ask to spend the rest of your life with, after all." He then gave her a look as if to say that it wasn't so simple, but a verbal response was halted before it began by Rin bounding into the room, dressed and ready for bed.

"Nessa-neesan, would you and Sesshoumaru-sama come to tuck me in tonight?" she pleaded.

"You want us both to come? Don't you think Sesshoumaru would like to say good night to you by himself?" He was always the one to put Rin to bed and only on rare occasions was he caught up too late in meetings to do so. Ever since that first night, Vanessa had felt that she was trespassing on something special between the two when she tucked the little girl in.

"No. I want you both there when I fall asleep. Please?" It was too much – Rin was just too cute, and Vanessa quickly found herself caving in to the girl's wishes, but before going along with her, she cast a glance at Sesshoumaru only to find him staring at her. His face revealed nothing but neither did he say anything in the negative, so she came to the conclusion that he wasn't entirely opposed to the idea.

"Okay, Rin, but just tonight." The girl grinned and dashed off into her room, leaving the two adults to stare after her. "What do you suppose that was about?" Vanessa asked the taiyoukai, but he didn't respond. Instead, he walked past her and followed Rin into her room. Vanessa quickly followed.

Once inside the room, the pair found Rin lying under her blanket, grinning like a Cheshire cat. _Now what is she up to?_ Sesshoumaru knelt beside her futon as he always did and Vanessa stood several steps away, feeling a bit awkward until Rin patted the mattress beside her and quickly retracted her hand within the cover of her blankets. Her Sesshoumaru-sama then pulled the blankets under her chin. He had yet to say a word and so Vanessa approached, likewise in silence and sat on Rin's futon beside her. "Rin, is everything all right? Why did you want both of us here to tuck you in?" she asked finally.

"Yes. Everything is fine. I just wanted to see my two favorite people at the same time, together, before I fell asleep." Vanessa saw Sesshoumaru's eyes widen slightly at her admission, but all he said was, "Sleep, Rin," before rising and leaving. She leaned forward and gave the girl a kiss on her forehead before removing herself from the room as well, but when she returned to the sitting room, Sesshoumaru was nowhere to be found. Shrugging it off, Vanessa went to her own room to turn in early; it didn't seem like this would be a "talkative" night for Sesshoumaru.

The next several days passed rather uneventfully and Rin didn't again make her strange request that both Sesshoumaru and Vanessa tuck her in together. Nighttime conversation with Sesshoumaru returned to normal, though Mitsue continued to chase after him during the day. Vanessa was laying on her balcony, watching the stars come out while she waited for Sesshoumaru to get finished with some meeting, when she heard someone, or something, hiss from the ground below her. She froze and waited, unsure if it was friendly or not, or even if it was directed at her, but then a hushed voice called up to her from the shadows: "Nessa-chan! I need to speak with you."

"Mitsue?" she called, feeling compelled to hush her own voice as well. "Is that you?"  
"Of course it is. Who else would I be? I really wish to speak with you. Would you meet me downstairs?"

"Um… sure. I'll be right down." Vanessa hadn't ever really left her room after dark – except when she was with Sesshoumaru, but Mitsue was her friend and apparently needed to speak with her, so what could it hurt? A part of her wondered what might be so urgent that it couldn't wait until morning, but her curiosity got the better of her. Maybe she'd meet Sesshoumaru on the way out and tell him what she was doing, but if not, Mitsue wouldn't let anything happen to her.

Vanessa wrapped her white sleeping robe more tightly around her and slipped her feet into a pair of soft slippers before leaving her suite and going down to the main floor of the building she currently called "home." She was somewhat surprised to find the great doors closed, but it only made sense – they had been closed the night she arrived too, but she wasn't going to that entrance. Mitsue awaited her in the gardens to the rear of the building. She didn't have to wonder how the demoness had gotten past the heavy doors either, since she too was staying within the walls they guarded.

The moon was just rising above the trees and illuminated the rock garden enough for Vanessa to find Mitsue sitting on one of their favorite benches. Even so, she stumbled occasionally on the path and thought belatedly that it might have been a good idea to bring a lamp with her. Finally she reached her youkai companion and sat down beside her. "Mitsue," she said. "What's wrong? Why have you called me out here in the middle of the night?" The demoness was silent for a while, but finally, she sighed.

"Nessa-chan, It's about Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm afraid things aren't going as I'd hoped."

There was a pregnant pause as Vanessa tried to choose the right words to console, as well as deter, her friend. "I… don't see how I could make any difference. If he's made up his mind, then I doubt anything I could say would sway him."

"Perhaps you could talk to him?" Mitsue asked hopefully, but then grew thoughtful. "Actually… I think I'll need you to scream for him." Vanessa stared at her for a moment before her brain finally caught up with her ears.

"Wha–" but the surprised question was abruptly cut off by Mitsue's slender, deceptively strong hands encircling Vanessa's throat as she was hauled off of the bench and half-dragged back to Sesshoumaru's mansion.

Stunned and surprised at this turn of events, Vanessa's brain almost didn't register the fact that she wasn't being brought upstairs to "speak" with Sesshoumaru, but rather she was being pulled past the staircase to the great wooden doors. They were going out into the main courtyard, but why? Wouldn't they be more visible there? Wouldn't someone see that she was in trouble and come to help? What if no one cared what happened to her? She was, after all, Sesshoumaru's latest cling-on human, and she had been foolish enough to leave the safety of the barrier around her rooms. Would Sesshoumaru even think her worthy of saving? Sudden panic caused Vanessa to claw at the thick youkai skin of the hands choking her and applying painful pressure to her windpipe, but she only succeeded in leaving pink trails, barely breaking the skin with her dull, weak human fingernails. The moment her feet hit dirt and grass, she dug her heels in, trying desperately to throw her attacker off balance, but this only resulted in a painful tug against her throat. She couldn't get anything but a strangled gurgle past the vice grip on her neck – how was she supposed to let anyone know that she was in trouble? _Now what do I do? Sesshoumaru!_

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru left his office long after he had dismissed Saburo; he had hoped that a few moments of solitude would help clear his mind, but they didn't and so he resumed reading and responding to various correspondences from the minor lords of his territory as well as those from some of the other great lords of the other three realms. Before he knew it, the sun had set and he looked out his window and was surprised to find the glitter of stars in the night sky. _Most definitely time to retire for the evening._ He retreated to his room and placed his swords on their racks on his wall. He had just removed his armor to dress for bed when a sudden spike of fear that was not his own permeated his senses. _But that could only mean… Vanessa!_ Wherever she was, something had frightened her a great deal. Sparing not even a moment to retie his armor, Sesshoumaru let his breastplate fall to the floor with a dull thud and a clank before hurrying to her room. On his way, he spared a brief glance to check on Rin, but she was sleeping soundly. Satisfied, he continued down the hall to Vanessa's room only to find it empty. By her lingering scent, it had been some time since she had been in the room, but… _the balcony_. That was where she liked to pass the early hours of night, so he returned to the main room and found a fresher scent, one that had been left just minutes before. Had he passed her on the stairs? He couldn't remember seeing her. Sesshoumaru could feel her fear rising and, for reasons unknown to him his heart began to race, apprehension flooding through him. Why had she left the safety of the barrier without him? Who or what had slipped into his palace and caused her such fear? Perhaps it was that she was injured. A million such thoughts and questions fought for precedence over Sesshoumaru's mind in the short time it took to descend to the first level. There he found her trail leading in two directions, both fresh. Which way was the correct path? He paused only a moment to examine both scent trails. The first, leading back to the gardens, was older, but not by much. _Where could she be going?_ Sesshoumaru turned toward the front door and knew beyond a doubt that it was the right way. It was as though something were tugging at him, urging him to move faster. He slipped through the front door without so much as a creak in the old wood, hoping that he wouldn't seem the fool for sneaking through his own house because Vanessa had been frightened by something as trivial as a spider. Somehow he knew that wouldn't be the case, however; her panic had risen to an alarming level and he was now catching the scent of her fear on the wind.

No lamps were lit in the courtyard, so Sesshoumaru had only the moon to light his way. It was actually better for him that way – lamps cast strange shadows. With just the moon as a light source, there were only so many places to hide. He crept along the outer wall of the building, knowing that his pale features and white clothing would conceal him, his sturdy but soft boots making no sound on the wooden planks, and scanned the dark courtyard. That was where Vanessa's scent led, but if she were in danger, he wanted to absorb anything that he could from his surroundings before rushing headlong into what very well could be a trap. Suddenly he heard a sound from the far side of the courtyard and snapped his focus in that direction. It wasn't much, but it was a sound that did not belong on the night air, sort of a strangled whimper. His blood began to boil, rage coursing through his veins. There were no words, barely even a voice associated with that small sound, but he knew. _No one_ touched his Vanessa without later regretting doing so, but if that person went so far as to hurt her, well… they would wish they had never learned the name of Sesshoumaru, then they would wish for the death, which Sesshoumaru's name implied– and then their wish would be granted.

Never registering the implications of that thought, Sesshoumaru's eyes locked onto a vague form in the opposite corner of the courtyard. His night vision was not nearly as keen as when the sun shone in the sky, but it was good enough. Now he had a target. Darting between the shadows cast by the moon, confident that he could not be seen, Sesshoumaru quickly made his way to where his nose told him Vanessa was. Her fear was so thick in the air, he could practically taste it. No one under his protection should be so frightened, especially behind his own walls! When he was a scant few dozen yards away, he drew up short and straightened. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. There stood Mitsue, holding Vanessa against the rough stone wall, tightly gripping her neck. With the strength advantage she had over the woman, she could easily snap it in two – he would have to tread carefully and quickly take control of the situation if he wanted the human to live.

"Why, Sesshoumaru-_sama_, how kind of you to join us." Mitsue spoke in a false sweet tone that grated on Sesshoumaru's already taut nerves. "Vanessa and I were just having a little chat about you, weren't we dear?" Vanessa struggled against the hand at her throat, twisting and clawing with her dull fingernails and whimpering in frustration at her futile effort, her legs rendered useless against her attacker by the length of Mitsue's arm. "Although… Nessa-chan hasn't been very cooperative."

Finally Vanessa stilled and Sesshoumaru though that the demoness might have succeeded in cutting off her air, but then she twisted her head to turn pleading eyes on him. He assumed that she wanted him to save her, but then she mouthed something. No sound came to her lips so she swallowed past the iron grip at her throat and tried again. This time, he heard her labored words: "Sess…maru… Go… T–" but before she could finish, Mitsue pulled her away from the wall and spun her so that Vanessa's back was to her chest, then she removed her hand from her throat. However, instead of releasing her, she clamped her hand firmly over Vanessa's mouth, effectively cutting off her speech. _Go… Of course not – not when she is in such danger. Has she no faith in my skill?_ Sesshoumaru was brought out of his thoughts by Mitsue's voice.

"Now, now, we talked about this. I decided I don't want you to talk to him – I want you to scream. You want to, don't you? You're frightened, I can smell it, and humans scream when they are afraid. You're just waiting for me to let go so that you can scream and run away, aren't you?"

Sesshoumaru watched the exchange, wanting nothing more than to tear the demoness to shreds, but couldn't due to Vanessa's proximity to her. So he watched as Vanessa's eyes flashed and took on a steely hardness that might have been a match for his own, and then she shook her head firmly once. _Foolish, stubborn human…_ she wouldn't do what Mitsue wanted, even if it might spare her injury or even her life. Of course, Sesshoumaru wouldn't submit in the same situation, as he was more than a match for the demoness, but that was irrelevant. All that mattered was that he remove Vanessa from the situation alive and properly dispose of this being that looked so much like his dead Atsuko. He might have been crushed at the prospect of destroying her once again, but she threatened what was his. She betrayed the trust that he laid on her in allowing her to spend time alone with Vanessa, and she would not live to see the next sunrise - that much was certain. "Release her," he commanded. "Release her this instant," he repeated, "or I will see to it personally that you do not see another sunrise. She is nothing to you." The fact that he intended to eliminate her whether or not she obeyed was beside the point, but it would be so much easier to complete the task if Vanessa were safely out of the way. Mitsue shrugged and, if anything, tightened her hold on Vanessa.

"Perhaps not," she said, "but the real issue is… how much does she matter to you?"

"I care not for the human," Sesshoumaru responded, perhaps a bit too quickly, and the moment the words left his tongue he felt Vanessa's hurt. By those few words he had just betrayed everything that she had tried to build between them and he saw the spark dim in her eyes for a moment before she sagged in Mitsue's hold slightly. He stoutly refused to look her in the eye and prove his lie false to the demoness, but from the edge of his vision he saw as she narrowed her eyes and stared at him, puzzled. _Good, she still has her wits about her._

"You contradict yourself, dear Sesshoumaru. If you care nothing for her, then you wouldn't mind my taking her off your hands for you… one less mouth to feed, as it were."

"The human is Rin's caretaker, and as such has the protection of this House."

"I don't understand why you keep them around anyway, what purpose could they possibly serve besides that of a servant?"

"That is none of your concern. If you value your life, you _will_ release her." He was tired of 'playing nice.' He'd warned her, given her chances, but she refused to obey his commands. It would seem that more forceful measures would be in order, but before he could act on that particularly pleasant thought, she spoke again.

"I think perhaps you take advantage of what only a female can give, but really… a child?" she sneered, tilting her head to the side. "Or are you waiting until Rin grows up a bit?" This time Sesshoumaru saw red. He was admittedly a ruthless fighter and a brutal killer, and proud of it, but how could she even suggest that he would perform such a vile, revolting, shameful act, as to do _that_ to his sweet little Rin, or even to take a grown female – human or not – against her will. _This ends now._

"Enough," he growled, advancing several yards toward Mitsue's position in the corner, his claws glowing a deadly green. He had left Tokijin in his room in his haste to find Vanessa, but he hardly needed it. "I will stand for no more of this nonsense. You have threatened a guest of this House and insulted my honor. Prepare yourself to enter the next life."

Sesshoumaru felt the approach of other youkai behind him, but paid them no heed. His focus was entirely set on the pair in front of him. He had to strike quickly and accurately, but he was confident. Vanessa would be bloodied, but if all went according to his plan, none of it would be hers. Then, just as he was about to act, he was interrupted – again. This time Vanessa's eyes went wide as she wrenched her arm free and brought her elbow back with surprising force directly into Mitsue's mid-section. The distraction was just enough for the demoness to uncover the woman's mouth and double over, though she still held a struggling Vanessa around her waist. "Behind you!" she screamed while Mitsue recovered enough to strengthen her grip on the human. By this time, Vanessa knew most, if not all of the resident youkai of the palace and she was fairly well liked, or at least tolerated, by all, so for her to react that way to whoever was approaching… well, it gave Sesshoumaru a reason to turn around. Behind him, forming a loose circle, were several large and formidable youkai, brandishing sharp weapons – formidable if he were anyone other than Sesshoumaru, that is. However, he was rather disappointed to find some of his own subjects included with Mitsue's entourage. _No matter… Their betrayal will only earn them death._ He turned back to Mitsue, ignoring the supposed threat behind him.

"You have two options, Sesshoumaru," Mitsue told him, completely disregarding the honorific – not a good idea when one wants to engage in negotiations with the taiyoukai. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Come with me peacefully and I let her go. Refuse and she dies." Sesshoumaru casually glanced down at his hand and flexed his claws, knuckles cracking in the process. Poison clouded around his claws and dripped onto the grass at his feet, an acidic hiss splitting the night air with each drop. When he looked back up at Mitsue, he wore an expression that few lived to see again: he smiled.

"I find your terms unacceptable. Now, you die."

Mitsue signaled to the youkai behind Sesshoumaru and they moved in. He had expected this and waited, listening to the sounds of heavy footfall and the clank of weapons. One of them even carried some sort of chain, by the sound of it. He was amazed that they thought they could subdue him to the point of binding him. Still, he waited. When his attackers came within range and he heard them lift their weapons to strike, he ducked and whirled out of the way. He turned again and darted for the one with the chain. His attacker barely had time to react before he found his former lord's claws buried deep within his chest and poison began to quickly spread through his veins. With that one satisfactorily out of commission, Sesshoumaru turned back to the rest of them. They had frozen in shock or horror – he didn't care which – at seeing their comrade so quickly dispatched, but as he stared at them, they turned to one another and charged, yelling to one another that they would be the first to bring him down and earn "the lady's" favor. _Unlikely_, was the only thought he deemed worthy of their display. They came at him, recklessly swinging their weapons and it made him wonder if anyone had actually trained them. If so, their master should be put out of his misery for this disgraceful show of swordsmanship. In a way, they reminded him of Inuyasha in the early days of his ownership of Tetsusaiga, but he had to admit that the half-breed had improved – even if he would never be a match for the elder's skill.

The fools couldn't touch him; their attacks were slow and sloppy, and despite their greater bulk, Sesshoumaru quickly finished them with nothing more than his speed and the claws of his right-hand. He turned once more to Mitsue's corner with a small smile still playing on his lips. This was more action than he had seen since returning to the palace. As he approached, he could see that she was anxious, searching for some method of escape, but she had literally backed herself into a corner. Perhaps she would accept her fate and die, or, if he felt particularly merciful, she would live out the rest of her many days in his dank dungeons. "You should study your opponent more carefully before attacking – especially in his own home. If you had, you might have known that your threats would have had no effect on this Sesshoumaru other than to ensure your death." He was yards away from them now and continued in his slow, steady, confident gait, reveling in the stench of Mitsue's fear. The scent of Vanessa's fear had long since dissipated. Apparently, now that he was there, she had no doubt that she would be saved. _Impudent human_, but the thought was laced with a sort of fondness for her confidence in him. _So much like Rin._ Now he was mere feet away and he returned the flow of venom to his claws.

"Don't take another step!" Mitsue cried desperately. She resumed her grip on Vanessa's throat and, as though to assure him of her intent, gave a painful squeeze, which elicited a small whimper from her captive. Vanessa closed her eyes tight, waiting for whatever would happen. Sesshoumaru was close to losing control. In the months since she came into his world, the human had worked herself deep under his skin and into his heart. He hadn't thought it possible for him to ever care for a human woman, not after what had happened to his father. True, Izayoi never did anything but love him, but she was still his father's weakness and led him to his ultimately death. Red-tinged gold never left the pair before him and he waited for the opportune moment, the moment when he could strike, killing one but not the other. "I wouldn't have had to take these measures if you had been a sensible male and proposed to me." Sesshoumaru paused and stared at her. _Is _that_ what this was all about?_ He was not amused.

"What was it that you thought to gain in this? This Sesshoumaru would not for an instant tolerate a treacherous consort."

"I stand to gain nothing. I am only doing as I was ordered." '_Ordered…?' Interesting._ He might just keep her alive a bit longer, just to find out who this master was.

"And if you were to become lady of the West, what then?"

"Then I would take you to _him._ You were supposed to act like any other male, and you were supposed to act especially like the heirless lord that you are. You were supposed to be intrigued by the mysterious female coming out of the storm."

"You caused that storm?" That was what started this whole mess. He had thought that something was wrong with that storm and to top it off, Vanessa was ill because of it.

"Not exactly… I had some help with that, but the fact that I look like your lost love should have had some impact…" _She knew… All along she has been toying with me._

While Mitsue talked, she had loosened her hold, somewhat on, Vanessa so Sesshoumaru took that opportunity to attack. He knew he could strike and bypass her human shield, but when she saw him move, she seemed to panic and all but threw Vanessa at him. It caught him off guard since he expected her to use Vanessa to block any of his attacks and he had to quickly pull back his attack to catch her so she didn't send them both to the ground. It was just the opening Mitsue needed and she darted forward, driving her own claws into Sesshoumaru's side. The taiyoukai roared in rage and surprise. Normally such an attack would have been deflected by his armor, but he had left it in his bedroom, and now he was wounded. Sesshoumaru vaguely heard Vanessa say that she was fine, but leapt with her to the opposite wall of the courtyard. After, briefly assuring himself that she was as yet uninjured, he wheeled on his enemy, ignoring the pain and the blood from the slash in his side and in an instant stood in front of Mitsue again. "You will pay," Sesshoumaru ground out, his voice strangely ragged, his youkai beast desperate to be unleashed. Mitsue smirked, but Sesshoumaru would not be taken down so easily.

Now that there was no chance of injuring Vanessa by attacking the other youkai, Sesshoumaru advanced once more. In a flash he was behind her, his single clawed hand wrapped around his enemy's throat, mimicking the position Vanessa had been in. "I killed Atsuko once, wench. I have no problem doing so again," he hissed in Mitsue's ear so that only she could hear. He couldn't see her eyes widen in fear, but he did feel her body tense. She was holding her breath, waiting for him to finish her. The taiyoukai dug in his claws, allowing a small amount of poison to seep into the blood stream. "Why are you here?" he demanded, releasing just enough pressure to allow for speech.

"You," Mitsue choked out.

"That much is clear. Why target the human?"

"He said that she would be your weakness."

"You mentioned this master of yours before. Who is he?"

"It doesn't matter." Sesshoumaru released a bit more venom into her veins, just to let her know how much it should matter to her.

"I can kill you slowly, or I can kill you quickly. You answers alone will determine how long it will take for you to die and with what amount of pain, but know this: you will die. Now, who is your master?"

"I don't know!" she whined. "I woke up one morning and there was this voice in my head. Nothing you do to me could be worse than the images he showed me of what would happen if I disobeyed."

"What do you know of him? What does he want with me?" He could tell that his poison was beginning to affect her; her body was beginning to go limp in his grasp. Soon she would breathe her last.

"He knows…" she whispered. "He's always watching." Sesshoumaru stared across the courtyard where Vanessa was waiting for him. Perhaps he was straining his eyes too much, trying to focus on someone so far away in the dark, but his vision grew fuzzy for a moment and he shook his head once, clearing it and returned his focus to the dying youkai in his claws. _I let you see the saimyoushou so that you would know I am always watching. I will always know what you are doing and when you are at your weakest._ The words swam in his mind and he glanced down at Mitsue as she breathed her last shuddering breaths. He lowered her to the ground and her face became still. Then, as if in response to her death, the strange marking on her forehead seemed to crystallize and split in half, releasing the faint odor of Naraku's miasma and the scent of a youkai he did not recognize, as well as removing the concealment charm. This demoness was most certainly _not_ Atsuko. _Naraku._ Naraku had warned him, but he had been so confident in his defenses that he hadn't thought the hanyou could reach him within his palace walls. He would deal with him later. Now he had to see to Vanessa.

Sesshoumaru had taken no more than two steps across the courtyard before he stumbled. Catching himself, he paused. Sesshoumaru simply did not stumble. He straightened and took another step, this time falling to his knees. _What…? _Only trying to wield Tetsusaiga had ever brought him to his knees. Perhaps he lost more blood than he had originally thought? He touched his clawed fingers to the pain in his side and found that he was still bleeding – could he really be so seriously injured? The gash was long and rather deep, but he could feel that it was already healing. He had survived losing an arm and being hit by the Wind Scar. This was nothing more than a flesh wound. He pushed the matter from his mind and looked back to Vanessa, preparing to rise again. It was about that moment when he noticed the tingling sensation that had earlier been hidden by the pain. It spread through his veins like wildfire, increasing in intensity until it felt as though his very flesh was on fire. And then his vision began to fade again. Sesshoumaru held her with his eyes like a lifeline, trying to stay focused, but he was fast failing.

Hazy golden eyes watched as Vanessa's expression turned from apprehension to one of horror, but only for a moment. In the next instant she was sprinting across the yard to his side. Sesshoumaru felt her arm wrap around his shoulders, trying to support him, but he sagged against her. He simply couldn't find the strength to hold himself upright any longer and found himself half reclined in Vanessa's lap as she lowered herself to her knees and him with her. Confusion clouded his thoughts and hid everything from his mind but the woman holding him. What was happening to him? He had never felt this way before. It couldn't be Naraku's miasma; it never affected him before, but if it had, it wouldn't have caused this sort of reaction. Something else had gotten into his system, but what? Something on Mitsue's claws – that had to be it. All he knew about it though, was that it was quickly paralyzing him. The taiyoukai felt something strike his cheek. He focused his fuzzy vision on her face in time to see another teardrop slide down her cheek and off of her chin. Her arms tightened around his shoulders and he could feel himself being rocked gently. He couldn't keep himself from staring up at her – she was shedding tears… for him? _Do not cry,_ he tried to say, but he couldn't seem to make his voice work. Instead, he slowly raised his hand and brushed her tears from her cheek, but could hardly hold his arm up. It felt so very heavy, but Vanessa closed her own smaller fingers around his, holding his hand in place. He saw her lips move and squinted up at her. Why couldn't he hear? He could still feel, but he couldn't hear, could barely move, and his vision was quickly fading. It became a struggle even to keep his eyes open. _This is not how it was supposed to end. It was a battle, true, but in my own home?_ Sesshoumaru's eyes closed against his will, but he fluttered them open again, trying to keep Vanessa in his focus. Why was it so hard? His was by no means a mortal wound, so how had he allowed himself to be taken down this way – by a cheap underhanded trick?

Finally, Sesshoumaru could fight the darkness no longer. He felt his hand slide through Vanessa's and fall to his side. He felt her shake him, slap his cheeks trying to wake him. He felt her pull him to her chest, imagined her begging him to wake up. He rarely denied her the few things she requested, but in this, no matter how much he wanted to, he simply could not do as she asked. The last thought that entered into his mind was one that surprised him; it wasn't rage or indignation at the whole situation. It wasn't even fear or confusion in the face of the great unknown. Sesshoumaru's final thought as he plunged into oblivion fell somewhere along the lines of: _My someone… to… protect?_

A/N: My first real cliffhanger, isn't it? Was it okay? Did it leave you desperate to find out if everything will turn out all right in the end? Unfortunately for you, I am getting to the very busy part of my summer – seeing friends one last time before preparing for my year-long trip to Germany… I'll try try try to get the next chapter out before the end of the month, but no promises. I WILL update while in Europe, but it may be a few weeks between chapters. I mean, come on! How often does a person get to spend a year abroad? I'm sure I'll be pretty busy.The ideas have been swimming around in my head since I first imagined the final scene in this chapter, so it's only a matter of putting them into words and modifying the bits I already have written.

On a side note: in a spurt of inspiration as I struggled with this chapter, I wrote a large chunk of the final chapter, or maybe the epilogue to this story, but fear not! The end is still a long way in coming. I'd say this story is somewhere one-half finished. I just wanted to let you all know that while I might not always be writing, I'm still writing… make sense?

Well, keep on doing what you do!


	14. Lost

A/N: (9/5/06) Sorry folks… new chapter's in the works. I was checking back on some details that I put in this chapter and noticed a few minor things that needed changing. I should have the next one up mid-week next week (Leaving for Germany on the 14th!)

A/N: I couldn't resist. This chapter has been sitting on my computer for a few days, begging me to post it, but it hadn't been proof read. Well… I'm a sucker for beggars… sometimes… so don't get any ideas. So I went ahead and proof read it and now, here you have it. Also, I've been advised that smaller paragraphs better, so I tried to keep that in mind for this chapter.

Into the East

Chapter fourteen: Lost

Posted: 15 August 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

_What do I do? _"Sesshoumaru, don't you dare leave me!" _You're a doctor, well… almost a doctor, get a grip!_ When Vanessa saw him stumble, she thought he might have been injured, but when he fell to his knees, she _knew_ something was terribly wrong. It seemed to take forever to reach his side, but once she was there, far too quickly he succumbed to whatever it was that brought him down. She held him, tears streaming down her face, praying that he would be all right, but he only stared up at her, silent as ever. He seemed to have a hard time focusing, but when he wiped her tears away, she thought her heart would break. It was the most tender gesture he had ever shown her – he cared, and she was losing him. "Save your strength," she told him, but instinctively closed her own hand around his.

That seemed like hours ago, but in reality it couldn't have been more than a minute or two. _What do I do? What do I do?_ Vanessa's shocked and frantic mind repeated this over and over while she continued to hold Sesshoumaru's still form to her. _He can't die, he just can't._ "Please wake up," she whispered into his ear, but he didn't respond. _Think. You didn't spend six years in college for nothing. Even that much training is better than nothing. Check his vitals._ She eased him off of her lap and onto the ground so that she could check him over better. _Vitals, right… but he's not human. Still… whether he's a giant dog or human-like, he's a mammal, right? And mammals have a heart and lungs… It's a start._

While this internal monologue went on, Vanessa leaned over him, her cheek hovering just above his nose. She pressed two fingers under his jaw and waited on baited breath for signs that he still lived, and the moment she felt the beat of his pulse at her fingertips and a tiny puff of air on her skin, she thought her heart would leap out of her chest. Neither was strong, but they proved that he hadn't left her. Her hands flitted over his chest and down his torso until she came to the torn, blood-soaked silk where Mitsue had ripped into his side. Vanessa opened his haori and gently pulled the fabric away from the wound, wincing whenever it got caught on dried blood, but when she looked down at his torn flesh, she couldn't help but to stare transfixed as the edges slowly knitted themselves back together. It probably wouldn't even leave a scar, and compared to losing an arm in a time when medicine was less than ideal, this wound was nothing. So… why wasn't he conscious?

Once again, Vanessa was wrought with uncertainty. She glanced around the dark courtyard, but saw no one. Of course if anyone else had seen their lord fall, they'd have come right away, wouldn't they? Didn't he have guards on patrol? Vanessa didn't know what to do. She couldn't just leave him in the courtyard, and yet she knew that if didn't find help soon, it might be too late. Tears of frustration stung her eyes as she realized he was too heavy for her to move herself. She'd only managed to drag him a few feet before collapsing to her knees. Then, choking off a frustrated sob, Vanessa gently lowered his shoulders to the ground again. She leaned over him once more and felt the faint puff of his breath on her cheek. Before she rose again, she gave him a feather-light kiss on his temple, whispering, "Forgive me, I've got to find help. I promise I'll be right back! I won't leave you. Just don't go." She didn't know if he could hear her, but she didn't want him to think he was alone.

Determinedly dashing unwanted tears from her eyes, Vanessa darted toward the main house. It was the middle of the night, and she wasn't sure whom she would be able to find at such an hour. She didn't know where to start. She needed to find someone who would know what to do, not just a servant, but… Obviously, some of his retainers couldn't be trusted or Sesshoumaru wouldn't be lying unconscious in his own courtyard. She wracked her brain trying to think of someone that she knew Sesshoumaru trusted, but it wasn't easy… he didn't seem to trust anyone! Suddenly it dawned on her. _Saburo!_ She still didn't know him well, but he'd been friendly to her and she liked him. Besides, Sesshoumaru had mentioned that he was essentially his second in command. She would have gone to Jaken, but he didn't seem to be taken very seriously among the others – better to go to someone who could get something done right away.

Without wasting another second, Vanessa turned on her heel and sprinted back across the courtyard. She had to turn her face away as she ran past the place where Sesshoumaru lay or she would never get out of the courtyard. Having only been to Saburo's personal office once – on her initial tour with Sesshoumaru – she had to concentrate on where she was going in the winding halls of the palace proper. It was late so he might not be in his office at all, but she also knew that his personal living space was on the same hall. _Please be there. Please be there, _she chanted as she ran. When had the palace gotten so many hallways? Finally, she turned down a hall that she vaguely recognized as that containing Saburo's office and living quarters. She hoped that she didn't have to try to wake him, but it was an emergency! He had to understand. He had to do something!

The first stop was Saburo's office, but it was dark. After a quick inspection to be certain that he wasn't there, Vanessa bolted down the hall to where she thought his personal quarters were. Several doors were the typical shoji screen type, but then she caught sight of a thick wooden door, much like those leading into both her and Sesshoumaru's apartments. _That's the one._ Taking a deep breath, she began pounding on the door. From within, she heard a warning growl that was definitely meant to tell her to leave unless she was willing to stake her life on her cause. She ignored it and continued her incessant pounding.

Finally, the door swung open, nearly being ripped from its hinges in the process, and Vanessa faced a very angry youkai. She swallowed and took a step backward. Suddenly all command over the Japanese language that she had previously held fled her mind. She shook her head, trying to compose herself while Saburo stood in his doorway. "Saburo-san! Onegai, help me!" She nearly cried in relief over reclaimed ability to communicate and at the quickly dissipating anger in Saburo's countenance. Saburo's eyes grew concerned as they traveled the length of her, and his brow furrowed as his nose worked to identify the blood as Sesshoumaru's.

"Where is he?"

"In the courtyard. Please hurry?" He nodded and ducked inside his quarters briefly, returning with his sword and a female at his heels.

"Come," he said in a commanding way that would have made Sesshoumaru proud. _No wonder he's Sesshoumaru's second._

The three ran through the halls and out into the courtyard while Vanessa told the two youkai that Sesshoumaru was in a fight and got hurt. Just before they went outside, Saburo caught a servant and sent him to fetch the healers. Vanessa led them to where Sesshoumaru lay deathly still in the grass, and in a panic she darted to his side to check his pulse and breathing. She wasn't sure what the normal heart rate of a youkai was, but the fact that his heart still beat seemed like a good sign, though his breathing was still very shallow. With a small sigh of relief, she turned to Saburo as he knelt to inspect the wound. "He's still alive," she said. "Mitsue slashed him in the side with her claws."

"Mitsue did this? Where is she?"

"She's… um…" Vanessa looked around at each of the scattered bodies, but didn't see any with the face she knew to be Mitsue. Then she saw a feminine figure laying a short distance away wearing Mitsue's clothes. "I think… that's her… but she doesn't look the same anymore." Saburo looked to where she pointed and frowned.

"Rai, tend to Sesshoumaru-sama's wound. Keep it from healing over until the healers get here. Something is keeping him from waking and they will want to see it for themselves. Re-open the closed edges if you have to."

Vanessa knelt by Sesshoumaru's head while Saburo went to look at what had become of Mitsue. She brushed a strand of wind-blown hair off of his forehead and stroked the side of his face with the backs of her fingers. _Stay with me._

"Your touch is filled with such tenderness even though he is not awake to know it, why?" Vanessa jumped and snatched her hand back. She had already forgotten about the presence of the second youkai.

"I suppose I shouldn't… 'take such liberties with his person,' as he would say," she said with a wry smile.

The other smiled also. "You know him well."

"I'm just worried."

"You must forgive my mate. Saburo loses his manners in a crisis. I am Rai."

"I'm Vanessa," she said softly.

"Saburo has told me about you."

Vanessa winced. "He has?" After everything Mitsue had suggested about her relationship with Sesshoumaru, she wasn't sure she wanted to know what Saburo might have said, but Rai just laughed.

"Don't worry. Saburo knows that all is honorable between you. That Mitsue tried to spread a few rumors, but they were nothing that my Saburo couldn't deflect. You truly care for our Sesshoumaru-sama, don't you?" Rai asked, changing the subject. "That is a rare thing."

"Yeah, he can be… frustrating," Vanessa admitted with a smile. "He's not that easy to get through to."

"I am impressed that you have though."

"Oh, I don't know about that. He's still pretty distant."

"Saburo has told me a little about you – he said there were some things that he couldn't say by Sesshoumaru-sama's orders, but I know that you come from a faraway land and he protected you before you could even speak our tongue. Trust me. You've gotten through. Saburo loves Sesshoumaru-sama like a brother but I don't think my lord realizes it. Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't let anyone close."

"Sesshoumaru-sama trusts Saburo-san. That's got to count for something. The way I understand it, he doesn't trust anyone easily."

"You think so?"

"Sure, he said that if for some reason Rin or I couldn't find him, we should go to your mate. I know how much he adores Rin, so if he trusts Saburo-san with her life, then I'd say he's closer than you think."

Just then a horde of youkai in healers' robes descended on the courtyard and gently, but firmly pushed Vanessa aside so that they could work. She could only stand to the side and watch. Now that the situation was out of her hands, the adrenaline began draining out of her system and felt helpless to do anything. A small sniff escaped her and she was surprised to find a slender arm around her shoulders. "There, there. No need to worry." Vanessa turned her face up to Rai beside her.

"It's my fault," Vanessa whispered miserably as they watched the healers do their work.

"What is?"

"I went outside to talk to Mitsue. She said it was important, but then Sesshoumaru-sama had to come and rescue me. He got hurt because of me."

"There now, don't think like that, Vanessa-chan. Sesshoumaru-sama is strong. He'll be up and about in no time."

"I hope so." She felt the weight of all of her years of medical school and still she was helpless against the mystery of Sesshoumaru's unconsciousness. "Please," she whispered to the healers, "Help him." When Saburo returned to the healers, he knelt beside one that Vanessa assumed was the leader and whispered something to her, which set off a flurry of activity. Soon the healers had hoisted the taiyoukai onto their shoulders and were hurrying into the palace. Only one remained to inspect Mitsue's body. Turning fear-filled eyes on Saburo as he approached her and Rai, Vanessa asked, "Where are they taking him?"

"There is a poison is his blood," he said simply.

"But… he'll be fine, won't he?"

"Of that I am not certain," he said gently, placing a clawed hand on her shoulder. "Get some rest. There is nothing you can do at the moment and young Rin will need comforting." _Oh no! Rin!_ How was she going to explain to the girl what had happened?

Worried and certain that she wouldn't be getting to sleep anytime soon, Vanessa asked if Saburo would please let her know when she could see Sesshoumaru and then went back to her room. Rai had asked if she would want to stay with them for the night, but she politely declined, assuring them that if she needed anything she would come to them. She would rather be in more familiar surroundings while she waited.

Vanessa crossed the threshold of the suite and immediately went to the door that connected the common room with its twin in Sesshoumaru's suite. She wasn't expecting to find Jaken there, but thought she'd look anyway. Much to her surprise, the little toad was actually there. She still wasn't exactly sure if she liked him – or if he liked her on any level – but she knew that he would want to know what had happened to his master. Telling Rin could wait until morning; let the girl sleep for now.

Jaken was asleep in a corner of the room, most likely waiting for Sesshoumaru to return. Vanessa nudged his foot with her toe. "Jaken," she said softly, but despite her attempts at waking him gently, he squawked in surprise and released a chain of insults centering on the theme of 'worthless human.' She just rolled her eyes. By now she was used to his antics and just waited for the storm to subside. "Jaken, listen, Sesshoumaru has been hurt, he's with the healers now. I thought you should know." As expected, he nearly exploded with a flurry of squawks and questions, most of which Vanessa didn't know the answers to, but she told him that Saburo might know more about what was really wrong than she did.

Finally targeting a new victim for his interrogation, Jaken took off down the hall to find out where Sesshoumaru was being treated, while Vanessa retreated to her own room to wash her face and change. She gasped as she caught her reflection in her wardrobe mirror. _No wonder Saburo knew right away that something happened to Sesshoumaru. _She hadn't realized what a mess she was until then. Bruises were already forming ugly marks on her neck where Mitsue had grabbed her and her face was stained with her tears and Sesshoumaru's blood where he had touched her cheek. Her white yukata had picked up some rather large bloodstains after he collapsed against her.

Vanessa scrubbed her face over her washbasin and watched the water turn pink with Sesshoumaru's blood. She stared into the water for a moment, but finally couldn't stand the reminder any longer and dumped the entire contents out her window. Once she had discarded the bloody clothes, she pulled a pair of sweats and a t-shirt off of the shelf. They were familiar and comfortable, and that's what she wanted at the moment. She dressed quickly and returned to the common room to curl up on a pile of cushions – she wanted to be near enough to hear the knock if anyone came for her.

At some point, Vanessa succumbed to a fitful sleep filled with dreams of Sesshoumaru bleeding and dying in the grass. Some time later, something woke her – through the fog of her dreams, she thought she heard someone call her name, but when she opened her eyes there was no one else in the room with her. Shaking off the remnants of her dream, she went to the door and peered out into the hallway. No one. _I'm stressed and my dreams are freaking me out._ Then she heard it again: _"Vanessa."_ This time, hearing someone quite clearly say her name in an empty room made her more than a little jumpy.

"Who's there?" she asked, her voice quaking only a little.

"_Vanessa, you needn't fear."_ A man's voice was much clearer this time and came from the direction of her bedroom. Heart pounding, Vanessa disregarded every instinct she ever had involving strange men in her bedroom and quietly made her way down the hall to her room where a soft light could be seen spilling out of the doorway. Despite hearing his voice, as she reached her doorway, she was surprised to find a man sitting on the edge of her bed, glowing in an ethereal light. There was an odd familiarity about him and she took a moment to study him in silence.

"Who…?" she began then drew in a sharp breath. His golden eyes, the stripe on each cheek, the silver-white hair, even his face… "You're… Sesshoumaru's father? But how?" A grin suddenly split his glowing face.

"_Clever girl,"_ he praised, _"Yes, I am Sesshoumaru's father. I have come to speak with you."_ Vanessa noticed then, that while his lips moved, it seemed as though he were speaking directly into her mind, and she understood him perfectly – in English. It really shouldn't have surprised her though, as he was no longer bound by the rules of the living. She approached the bed and sat on the edge beside him.

"Why do you want to speak with me?" Vanessa asked, puzzled, and he chuckled.

"_I wish to speak of Sesshoumaru, of course."_

At the mention of his name, Vanessa felt tears of guilt sting her eyes and she couldn't hold them back. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed, never noticing the other move closer until his strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her to his chest. _"Hush now, dear one," _he soothed, while she clung to him as she had to her own father as a child.

"H-he got hurt protecting me. It's all my fault. I said that he should let Mitsue stay for a while. I left my room to talk to her. He might die and it's all my fault!" Her tears were soaking through the ghostly white silk of his haori, but she couldn't stop them. Then Sesshoumaru's father abruptly pulled away and gently lifted her chin to look her in the eye.

"_Listen to me: this was not your fault. Sesshoumaru makes his own decisions. I more than anyone know the truth of that, but do not fear. Sesshoumaru is strong. He'll pull through."_

Vanessa sniffed, "He will? He'll be okay?" They youkai nodded, pulling her to him again. She felt like a child in her father's arms: safe and protected.

"_He is strong, but he needs you," _he said as he combed through her hair with his clawed fingertips.

"What can I do?"

"_Let him know you care. He will never admit it to anyone, but he feels lost. He needs you by his side."_

His words were a shock and Vanessa couldn't help but to stare at him. "Me? Why me?"

"_Do you not care for my son?"_ he asked with a smile. _"When he wakes, he will try to distance himself from you and Rin. He will say that this is proof that attachments make him weak, but do not give up on him. He is as stubborn as they come, but somehow you have begun to break through his barriers. He has let you closer than anyone else, even his childhood friend. Has he told you of Atsuko?"_

"A little, just that they were intended to be mates but she betrayed him and died because of it. He didn't really seem like he wanted to talk about her much."

"_I see. It is not my place to say more than that, but after that event he closed himself off, refused to allow anyone to get close. He never made it obvious, but I had never before seen him more lost and broken. I died soon after that and haven't been able to give him the guidance that I wanted to. Since then he had become content to be alone, but then Rin came along and began chipping away at the ice encasing his heart. And now, here you are. He is finally healing, but he still views love and compassion as a weakness. Be the friend that I know you are to him. Be by his side and call him back from the darkness."_

He made it sound so easy. "How do I do that?"

"_You will know what to do."_

"I want to see him. I promised him that I wouldn't leave, but when the healers came, they wouldn't allow me near. I haven't seen him since they took him away. I want to know that he'll be okay."

Sesshoumaru's father was quiet for a moment, as though he were listening to someone or something. Finally he turned back to Vanessa with a small smile. _"They are bringing him to his chambers now. You should go to him, if only for a little while. If anyone questions your presence, tell them that the Inu no Taisho commands it. I was the last hold that title so they will know what it means and will probably be too frightened to object," _he said with a laugh. _"My time here grows short and there will be a knock on your door in a few moments. Do not be afraid when you see my son. Trust in his strength." _

Vanessa jumped when a knock sounded on the hall door and when she turned back Sesshoumaru's father was gone, leaving the room eerily dark and quiet. "Thank you," she whispered into the empty room and hurried to answer the door.

Saburo stood in the doorway when Vanessa pulled open the door, and he didn't seem very surprised that she was awake. "The healers have cleaned the wound so it should heal in a day or two, but there is still poison in his blood," he said. "An antidote could not be found, so we have to hope that it will pass from his system naturally." He looked away for a moment then, as though unsure how to go on. "Vanessa-san, you must understand that there is the possibility that he will not awaken. If this is the case, we must make arrangements to see you and Rin safely away."

"He'll come through," Vanessa said firmly before he could go on. "Everyone keeps saying how strong he is, so… He'll fight. I know it. He's too stubborn to die this way."

Saburo nodded, "It is up to him now. He is being placed in his bed and a healer will return in the morning."

"Arigato, Saburo-san," Vanessa said, giving him a bow before he left.

She waited in the doorway between their suites until the healers cleared out then rushed to Sesshoumaru's bedroom and knelt beside his raised futon. They had dressed him in a new robe, but he looked terrible. It hadn't been more than a few hours since he fell, but already his face was pale – not the clean ivory of his natural skin color, but taking on an almost grayish tinge. There were shadows under his eyes and strands of silver hair were plastered by sweat to his forehead. In short, he looked like a shadow of his normal self.

A cursory glance around the room told Vanessa that this wasn't a place designed with the comfort of those waiting for a patient to wake up in mind, so she left briefly to haul an oversized cushion in from the next room. Finally finding a comfortable position, she took Sesshoumaru's hand in both of her own. "Sesshoumaru," she began, almost, but not quite, feeling silly starting a one-sided conversation. "You're a fighter, even I know that much, so beat whatever it is inside of you and come back to us. I know you can."

He still made no response – she hadn't really been expecting one, but maybe he had heard her? Vanessa looked down at his hand in hers and suddenly felt an overwhelming curiosity. Maybe it was the thought that this might be the only chance she got, or maybe it was that she needed something to take her mind off of how still he seemed, but whatever possessed her, she turned his hand over and traced the twin stripes on his wrist. They fascinated her; they looked like they could be tattoos or paint of some sort, but they were natural markings on his skin. She wondered if his colored skin was any more or less sensitive than his "normal" skin, but she also didn't think the time would ever be right to ask such a question.

Her examination traveled to the tips of his long fingers where his sharp claws caught her eye. They looked like normal fingernails at the base, except that they were much, much thicker. She supposed they would have to be for them to be used as weapons and not be ripped out. They were also much longer than human men kept their nails and tapered to a sharp point, curving slightly. It was natural though, not as if he had filed them to a point.

Vanessa's curiosity grew to a new level and she felt compelled to test the sharpness of Sesshoumaru's claws with her thumb, like one might test the sharpness of a blade. _He'd kill me if he knew…_ Still, she wasn't deterred by that thought, and ended up giving a small hiss when the tip caught on her skin and a tiny bead of blood appeared. _That'll teach me, I guess._ But as she sucked on the tip of her thumb, she thought she saw Sesshoumaru's brow twitch. Her hand dropped to her lap as she stared, hoping for something more, but he made no other movement. "Where are you?" she asked, moving the strands of hair off of his forehead. _Hm, I wonder… Could Shizu could 'see.'_

She'd wait until morning when the others were awake to find the winged horse and ask her about searching Sesshoumaru's mind. Most likely, he would be very opposed to the idea of someone else in his mind, but it was something. Until then, she would wait.

Vanessa glanced about the room – she had been in there once or twice before, but had never really studied her surroundings. It always seemed like it was Sesshoumaru's private sanctum and that she was intruding on his personal space – it still felt that way, but if he awoke, she wanted someone to be there to greet him, and at the moment, she was the only one around. _Let him know him you care…_

The room was sparsely, but tastefully decorated with a few scrolls and paintings adorning the walls. On the floor, on either side of the bed, were woven rugs, and the furniture was a dark, polished wood. He had a wardrobe and a chest of drawers on one wall and two windows with a mirror in between on another. Below the mirror was a short table with a basin and a pitcher of water on top and a stack of towels on a shelf below. Vanessa glanced at Sesshoumaru and bit her lip, and then, coming to a decision, she rose from her seat on the cushion and went to the table with the pitcher.

As she walked past the chest of drawers, a bit of gold glinted in the dim lamplight. Curious, Vanessa made a slight detour from the water and found that the gold was actually a comb. She picked it up and admired the engravings on the ivory handle. On one side was a crescent moon like the one on Sesshoumaru's forehead; while on the other was a scene of a dog howling on a mountaintop. The image was tiny, but the detail was amazing. She held onto it and continued to the table and, taking a few towels, picked up the heavy porcelain pitcher before returning to Sesshoumaru. Setting the pitcher, towels and comb on the low bedside table, she turned to the sleeping taiyoukai. She stared at him and wondered briefly how she expected to comb his hair when most of it lay under his body. Maybe when the healers or Saburo came back she'd ask them to help her turn him so it could be pulled it to the side and be freed it from his weight. Vanessa cast the thought aside for the moment and turned to the task she had initially set out to do.

Dipping one of the towels into the water, Vanessa gently washed Sesshoumaru's face, all the while admiring the markings that made him unique. He had taken care of her almost since the moment she arrived in his time and she was happy to return the favor – she only wished it didn't have to be under these circumstances. Satisfied that Sesshoumaru's face was clean and dry, Vanessa placed the towel on the floor and once again took his hand in one of hers while she pillowed her head on her other arm on the edge of his bed. For a while she just stared at him, willing him to wake up until finally her own eyelids drooped in exhaustion. "See you in the morning," she whispered, hoping it would be true.

VvVvVvVvV

Darkness.

He didn't know where he was or how long he'd been there, but when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing in the blinding darkness that surrounded him. He took a deep steadying breath and found he was surrounded by the scent of lilacs in the rain. Slowly, a dim light like that of a candle appeared around him, a circle of light that extended just beyond the span of his outstretched arms, and he saw that he was in some sort of a cave or tunnel. He knew he hadn't always been there, but… where was he before?

There was a whispered promise on the breeze and suddenly the soothing lilac scent was gone. He spun around, trying to catch the scent again, but it was no use. As the last traces of that scent drifted away, cruel laughter echoed off of the tunnel walls. Something about it set his nerves on edge, but eventually that sound also drifted away and he was left alone in the silent semi-darkness.

_Where am I?_ he asked himself. He took a few steps forward and found that the light followed him. There was no obvious source for the light, but if it meant that he wasn't going to have to search the paths of this labyrinth in pitch-blackness, he wasn't going to complain. It didn't solve the problem of determining precisely where he was or how to get out, though. He decided that he had two options now, one: choose a path and hope it was correct, or two: sit and wait for the solution to be revealed.

Somehow, through all of the uncertainty, he knew that the lilac scent was the key, but what to do? Hope to find the scent down some random path? Wait for it to return? He growled and raked the wall nearest to him with his claws in frustration. _Claws…?_ Glancing from his hands to the channels he had carved in the stone with that one swipe, an idea came to him. He couldn't just sit and wait – the silence and the oppressive walls of the tunnel would drive him mad. _If I mark my progress…_ He chose a path at random and at each turn he made, he slashed the wall on either side of the corner of the direction he took. It didn't really feel like he was making any progress, but at least he was moving, at least he was going something. If he came to a dead end and had to turn back, now he would know the way to where he had started.

Hours seemed to pass before he detected the first faint traces of lilac and rain showers. _Have I found the correct path? Am I going the right way?_ It seemed too much to ask, but then just as the thought crossed his mind, he came to a crossroad. He could still smell the lilac scent, but couldn't place the source. Growling low in his chest, he turned and faced each possible direction. The source was close – he could feel it! But where?

Suddenly the scent enveloped him like an embrace and he inhaled deeply to further memorize it. Something about it tickled his memory, but whatever it was he was trying to remember still eluded him. He pushed it from his mind for the moment and focused on the direction of the scent, finding the correct path. Whispers accompanied the scent, but he couldn't make out the words. They weren't really important, but somehow comforting just the same.

As he followed the path, his circle of light seemed to expand and the scent changed slightly. He sniffed. _What is that?_ The scent didn't change exactly, more like something was added to it. A salty metallic scent mingled with the lilac and he knew that something was not right. Those two scents were not supposed to mix.

A soft whimpering suddenly reached his ears and he paused to looked down. Had he taken another step, he would have stepped on the child. He knelt down so that he was on her level and gently took her small chin in his hand. "What is wrong, little one?"

She looked up at him with large violet eyes shining from previously spilled tears. Her hair was pulled back into a high tail, blonde ringlets falling down her back. "I fell and scraped my knee, see?" she said, showing him the abrasion. That was it – the scent mingled with the lilac and rain. It was blood. More importantly, however, the lilac scent was strongest around this little girl. _Is she the key?_

"How did you fall?" he asked, gently brushing dirt from the scratch. He was surprised when she giggled.

"I wasn't paying attention and tripped. It was silly, really."

"Not at all. You are being very brave." _What is she doing alone, here of all places?_

"I am?" She stared up at him with those wide violet eyes. Why did he seem to know them? What was he forgetting?

"I would not say it if I did not think so." She giggled again. "Child, what is your name?"

The little girl looked up at him and cocked her head slightly. "I don't have a name," she stated with a shrug.

"No name? We must change that." He stood, lifting the girl with him and making her squeal with delight. "I will call you Tenshi, for you a little angel come to earth." Then he slowly lowered her to the ground and let her think about her new name.

"Tenshi…" she said, trying it out on her tongue, "I like it! What's your name?"

He opened his mouth to answer her, but stopped. When he tried to think of his name, his mind drew a blank. Was he also nameless? He frowned, puzzled – he was certain that he had been called something before, but his mind was cloudy when it came to anything involving his past. "You may call me… Nanashi," he told the girl.

"Nanashi? But you're too pretty to not have a name."

Nanashi snorted. On some level, he knew that if anyone else had dared to call him "pretty," there would be dire consequences. "So are you, but now we both have names for one another." He gave the girl a small smile, which she returned with a toothy grin of her own.

"Nanashi?"

"Yes."

"Will you come with me?"

"Where are you going, Tenshi?"

"Home."

_Home… If I knew where I was, perhaps I might find my way home too…_ "It would be an honor, lead the way." Tenshi gave him another wide grin and wrapped her tiny fist around the fingers of his right hand before tugging him down one of the side tunnels. _Can you lead me home too?_

A/N: So… I know it's sort of a literary faux pas to use a pronoun without it being attached to a noun, but… I figure, if "Nanashi" didn't know who he was, then maybe the reader shouldn't either. Although… I doubt there are many who _don't_ know who he is. Still. My story, my rules, right?

Anyway, it's somewhat (a lot) shorter than normal, but this seemed like a good stopping place.

Names:

Tenshi – a spirit similar to an angel or fairy. I'm not sure if that's how it would be used as a name, but I used it anyway.

Nanashi – Unnamed one, hence the "You're too pretty to not have a name."


	15. Coming to Terms

A/N: Sorry for the wait, folks – I know I told some of you that I'd be getting this out by last Thursday, but… obviously that didn't happen. I was out of town for another week and frankly, I just had to put this thing down and not think about it for a few days… not that that really worked. It was pretty much all that kept me awake at times as I drove myself all over the Midwest. Then all of a sudden Wednesday came around last week and I hadn't packed a thing for Germany. I didn't get a wink of sleep that night, which made for a very odd feeling knowing that, once on board, I slept straight through take-off. My last excuse is that once I got to my apartment in Mannheim on Friday, I had to wait until tonight (Tuesday) to get my Internet hooked up and they don't have convenient little coffee shops and cafes with free wi-fi. Well… coffee shops/cafes – yes, free wi-fi – no. Makes me sad. Complete and utter torture, let me tell you… 6 days (airports don't even give away their wireless) without so much as an email, and at several Euro per call at the payphone, contact with home was very limited too. :sigh: But I'm back! Read on, loyal readers!

Into the East

Chapter fifteen: Coming to Terms

Posted: 19 September 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

Vanessa woke to find that Sesshoumaru's clawed fingers had lightly curled around her own while she slept. It was by no means a tight grip, but his fingers weren't quite as limp in her hand as they were the night before. It was a small thing, but she couldn't help but think it was a good sign. Reluctantly, she let go as the need to empty her bladder forced itself to the forefront of her mind. "I'll be right back," she whispered. Vanessa thought she saw his hand twitch when she broke contact, but reasoned that it had to have been a trick of the light when he made no other movement.

As she rose and stretched, something heavy fell from her shoulders to pool at her feet. She looked down. _A blanket?_ She couldn't remember bringing a blanket with her last night. Glancing up again, her eyes caught a plate of bread and fruit on the nightstand and the towel she had used the night before had been cleared away. She looked around the room quickly and finally noticed the small slumped form of Jaken leaning against the wall. "Jaken?" she called softly. Large yellow eyes opened and fixed on her. "Did you bring the blanket? And the food?"

Jaken sputtered and tried to look anywhere but at Vanessa. "Aw," she cooed. "You do care about the worthless humans." She had to squash down a grin as Jaken turned his nose up and looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"I don't understand why Sesshoumaru-sama keeps you and that impudent girl around, but when he awakes I will not be the one to have to tell him that you starved yourself in your pointless worry over him. He would be most displeased to find that you weak humans were not cared for."

Vanessa gave him a small smile. He wouldn't admit that he too was concerned about his master. "Arigatou, Jaken. Will you be here for a while?" she asked, turning her gaze back to Sesshoumaru. "I'd like to go have a bath, but I don't want to leave him alone – just in case anything happens." He nodded and Vanessa smiled her thanks before dashing to the outhouse to take care of business.

After a quick bath, Vanessa got dressed and returned to her suite, mentally preparing herself to break the news to Rin that the lord she so idolized wasn't well. She opened her door, just a crack, and saw that the girl was beginning to stir so she quietly slipped into the room and sat beside her on the futon. Rin wore a little smile in her sleep and Vanessa could only imagine what she might be dreaming of.

She leaned over her a bit to watch her sleep for a moment and ran her fingers lightly through the girl's soft dark hair – anything to delay the inevitable. How could she possibly tell Rin that something had happened to her Sesshoumaru-sama? Rin was probably the most mature seven year-old she had ever met, but she was still a child, and no matter how detached he may seem at times, besides Jaken, Sesshoumaru was the only 'family' she had. This was not going to be easy for her. Finally, chocolate brown eyes opened and peered up at her. "Ohayou, Nessa-neesan," Rin said with a yawn.

She smiled at her briefly. "Rin, sweetie, I need to talk to you. It's important."

"What is it?" the girl asked, toying with one of the damp curls that had fallen over Vanessa's shoulder.

The older girl gently took the strands of hair back and held Rin's hand instead. "Sesshoumaru-sama was hurt last night. He is very sick." She thought it best not to beat around the bush. Knowing Sesshoumaru, Rin was probably more accustomed to the direct approach anyway.

Rin's eyes grew wide and she sat up abruptly. She stared out the doorway for a moment before shooting Vanessa a look so full of hurt and betrayal that she thought her heart might break at the sight of it. Without a word, she shot out of bed and took off down the hall. "That went well," Vanessa muttered and then followed Rin to Sesshoumaru's bedroom. She found Rin peering around the doorframe at her sleeping lord.

Taking a deep breath, Vanessa approached and put an arm around her tiny shoulders. "Come on," she said gently, "Do you want to see him? It's okay to go in." Rin continued to stare at Sesshoumaru with impossibly wide eyes, but nodded and allowed herself to be guided into the room to his bedside.

Rin knelt neatly on the floor beside the bed, but never took her eyes off of Sesshoumaru's still face. Vanessa wondered what must have been going through the poor girl's mind right then. Sesshoumaru's presence alone was larger than life. To see him like this…

"Are you hungry, Rin? Jaken brought some food." Vanessa offered her the plate of food, but Rin silently shook her head, never once tearing her gaze away.

It was strange to see the normally happy and bubbly girl so mellow… and silent. Gone were the questions that colored so many of their conversations, but it was understandable. Rin was probably in shock. After a while, Vanessa sat back on a cushion and pulled Rin into her lap. The girl resisted at first, but when she saw that her view remained unobstructed, she relaxed into Vanessa's embrace, wrapping her small arms around Vanessa's and holding onto her as though she were a lifeline.

They sat in silence like that for a long time, well into the afternoon, until Rin surprised Vanessa by breaking the silence. "He won't wake up," she whispered so softly that Vanessa almost missed it.

"What? Sure he will. He's just resting right now." She tried to convey absolute confidence in that statement to try and ease Rin's fears.

Rin shook her head. "No he won't," she said, never raising her voice above that soft whisper.

"What makes you think that?" Vanessa asked gently.

"Mama and Daddy didn't wake up."

"Oh, Rin." Vanessa turned the girl in her lap and pulled her into a comforting hug, but that seemed to be the breaking point. Rin began to sob softly into her shoulder and all she could do was gently rock her and rub soothing circles on her back. "Rin, Sweetie, don't cry. Everything will turn out just fine."

"B-but they came in the night and hurt my mama and daddy," Rin whispered through her sobs. "They never woke up again, and Sesshoumaru-sama…" she trailed off and Vanessa hugged her tight, now fighting tears of her own. No child should have so much pain in her life. She wanted to make all of that go away, but she couldn't. She could only hold her until she calmed down.

When Rin finally quieted again, she pulled away from Vanessa and knelt again with her back to her and facing Sesshoumaru. "I'm sorry, Nessa-neesan. It is childish to cry." Now Vanessa was downright shocked to hear that come out of the girl's mouth. She glanced at Sesshoumaru and frowned.

"Does Sesshoumaru say that?"

Rin shook her head. "No, but Master Jaken has."

Vanessa fumed silently as she pulled Rin back again. She would have words with that imp later. She cradled the girl in her lap so that she could still watch her Sesshoumaru-sama and said, "Rin, it's okay to cry. Don't listen to Jaken. I cry sometimes and I'm a grown-up."

Rin tore her eyes away from Sesshoumaru for a moment and looked up at Vanessa. "You do?"

"Sure. Sometimes I cry when I'm happy or sad or when I'm really angry, and sometimes when I'm just plain frustrated. I think I cried when I first met Sesshoumaru."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. It was right after I found out that we didn't speak the same language. I was lost and afraid. That youkai was chasing me and then to top it all off, no one could tell me how to get home, but Sesshoumaru helped me."

That seemed to bring a small smile to Rin's face. "I'm sorry you're hurting, Rin," Vanessa said, hugging her again. "A little girl like you shouldn't have to go through so much pain."

Rin returned the embrace and then pulled away a little to look up at her. "It goes away," she said. "Sesshoumaru-sama made it go away for a long time, but…" she turned her head to look at Sesshoumaru. "But what if he doesn't wake up too?"

A sudden idea struck Vanessa and she nudged Rin off of her lap then took her hand and sat on the edge of the bed. "Come here," she said, patting the futon beside her. Rin was hesitant, but finally climbed up and sat next to her.

Vanessa guided the hand she held to the side of Sesshoumaru's neck, just under his jaw. "Do you feel that?" she asked the girl when she found his pulse. Rin nodded. "Do you know what that is?"

"No," she said, shaking her head.

"That pulsing that you feel means that Sesshoumaru's heart is beating."

Rin stared at her with a very puzzled expression on her face. "Do you mean… that Sesshoumaru-sama's heart is in his neck?"

Vanessa couldn't help but to giggle. "No, no, of course not. Put your fingers in the same place on your neck." She complied and her eyes widened a bit when she felt the evidence of her own heartbeat. "Blood flows in our bodies through veins and arteries. They're like little tubes that take the blood from the heart to everything that needs it. What you feel under your fingers is an artery and every time your heart beats, it pushes clean blood through that artery and others like it all over your body. Then, when your body is finished with it, that blood returns to your heart through veins to be cleaned and pumped back out again. Touching a place like that on the neck is a much easier way to find out if a person's heart is beating than to try and listen to their chest."

"Oh." With a tentative touch, Rin placed her fingers again on Sesshoumaru's neck.

"As long as you can feel that, you know that he's alive. Now it's only a matter of time before he wakes up."

"Do you really think so?"

"I do. I'll tell you what. It'll still be light out for a few hours and I haven't seen Shizu in a while. Would you like to come with me? When we come back maybe something will have changed with Sesshoumaru." Vanessa could see the girl's eyes light up at the prospect of finally meeting Shizu, but just as quickly the shadows descended again and she looked anxiously at Sesshoumaru.

"I don't know… Will he be okay?" she asked.

"I'm sure he will." Vanessa glanced up as someone slid the door open. "Oh look. Here come the healers now. We should let them work and come back to see him when they're done."

Rin switched her gaze from Sesshoumaru to the healers and back again. "Well… If we'll only be gone a little while… I'll come."

"That's great. Shizu would love to meet you. It'll give us both something to do while we wait for the healers to finish and we'll be back in no time."

Vanessa and Rin both changed, since Rin was still in her bedclothes and Vanessa had grown accustomed to wearing the wide-legged hakama whenever she visited Shizu, and made their way out to the field behind the garden. When they finally reached the edge of the trees, Shizu's voice entered Vanessa's mind, though she still remained hidden.

"_Nessa-chan, is that Rin with you? Sesshoumaru-sama's human ward?"_

"Yes Shizu, and we're coming in. It's alright." Rin looked up at her quizzically, and the older girl had to laugh. "Shizu talks with her mind," she explained, tapping her head with a finger as they walked through the trees.

"Oooh… Oh!" Suddenly Rin darted behind Vanessa and peeked from around the billowing folds of her hakama, staring at the large black horse stepping toward them through a screen of bushes.

Vanessa laughed again. "It's okay, Rin. This is Shizu. Shizu, this is Rin, the other little sister I told you about." Rin grabbed her hand and stared up at her with wide eyes.

"Nessa-neesan… You think I'm your sister?"

Vanessa knelt in front of Rin and placed her hands on her shoulder. "Sure I do. You call me 'big sister.' Is it alright for me to call you 'little sister'?" Rin just grinned and threw her arms around Vanessa's neck. That was all the answer she needed.

"_I feel left out," _Shizu said with a mental pout for both of the humans to 'hear' and nudged them with her nose. Vanessa smiled and scratched her chin, while Rin jumped a little and turned her gaze up to the horse.

"I heard you! I heard you inside my head!"

Shizu bobbed her head in what looked like a human nod. _"This is how my kind communicates, little human,"_ she said.

"Wow… so you don't even have to make a sound if you don't want to?"

This time she blew air through her nostrils like a snort, causing Rin to giggle. _"Only if we don't want to. There are other ways of communicating."_

"Shizu, would you mind showing Rin your wings? I don't think she's seen anyone like you before." Vanessa wanted to distract Rin for a moment. There was something she wanted to try, but she didn't want Rin to get her hopes up. Also, since it seemed that Shizu's mind-reading ability was a rare gift, she didn't want more people to know than absolutely had to. So, as Shizu spread her wings and allowed Rin to gently touch her feathers, Vanessa caught her eye and discreetly touched her own temple in hopes that the youkai would understand it to mean that she could read her thoughts. She wasn't sure if it would work, but she tried to organize her thoughts into what she wanted Shizu to see.

"_What would you like me to see that the young one shouldn't hear?"_

From Rin's lack of reaction, Vanessa guessed that Shizu spoke into her mind alone, so she thought to herself what she wanted to ask her. It felt strange just thinking to herself, but since Shizu had read her thoughts so clearly when they first met, she figured it was worth a try. _Sesshoumaru-sama has been hurt and I want to ask if you would be willing to read him and see if there is anything more that we can do for him._ Shizu didn't answer her right away. _I'm not asking you to dig farther than the surface. Something in the poison in his blood is keeping him from waking, but I won't ask you to do something you're not comfortable with._

Shizu nuzzled Rin's shoulder before answering. _"I have only ever probed Sesshoumaru-sama's mind once – the first time I met him. I was young and knew no better, and he shields his mind to such an extent that I couldn't see anything of what he was thinking. Even so, he looked at me afterward in a way that made me think that he guessed that there was something different about me. I felt as though I had been warned without a word passing between us, and I never tried again. However, if his condition does not change after two more days, or if he changes for the worse, come to me again and I will see what I can see. If you need me to, I will come under the cover of darkness two nights from now."_

"Thank you, Shizu" Vanessa said and left it up to the other two to decide exactly what she was thanking her for. After that, Vanessa, Rin and Shizu held a more conventional conversation – as conventional as two humans and a telepathic flying horse can have anyway. Several hours passed before Rin's tummy rumbled and Vanessa decided that they should return to the palace. She was anxious to check on Sesshoumaru anyway. So Shizu let Rin ride on her back to the edge of the forest where they said their good-byes and the humans continued into Sesshoumaru's mansion.

Back on their floor, Vanessa saw several healers leaving Sesshoumaru's room with their heads bent together, talking in hushed whispers. Not knowing what they would find when they entered, she turned to Rin and suggested that she go change for bed while Vanessa ordered something up for dinner. She knew that Rin would want to sit with Sesshoumaru and would probably fall asleep waiting. This also gave Vanessa a chance to go in and find out what the healers might have been talking about. So Rin cast one long glance at the door leading to Sesshoumaru's rooms and then nodded, hurrying to her own room to change.

Vanessa followed Rin through their door and then crossed through the divider into Sesshoumaru's chambers. As she entered his bedroom, Jaken jumped when he noticed her presence. "Oh, it's you," he said.

"What happened?" she asked him. Sesshoumaru's brow was damp and his fist was clenched on the blanket at his side.

Jaken gave her a shrewd look, but seemed to deem her worthy of the knowledge and said, "Nearly two hours ago he began to perspire and breathe heavily. I called the healers, but they found no cause for either. He doesn't have a fever so their only conclusion was that he must have been having some sort of dream. It finally ended not long before you returned. Wait a minute! Where is Rin?"

Before the imp could fly into a panic, Vanessa grabbed the back of his little haori and lifted him off the floor. "Rin is fine. I sent her to her room to change. I was going to have some dinner brought up, but I saw the healers in the hall and wanted to check on Sesshoumaru first."

"Oh," he said, slumping in her grasp.

She set him down and suggested that he take a break. She would watch over Sesshoumaru for a while. Reluctantly, he left on the excuse that he had 'important matters' to attend to in Sesshoumaru's stead elsewhere, but then surprised her by offering to go to the kitchen for her on his way. Vanessa thanked him and sat on the edge of Sesshoumaru's bed, shaking her head as he walked out the door. She touched the back of her hand to his face, but just as the healers had said, he didn't feel feverish. Jaken had left the water pitcher and a stack of towels on the nightstand and from this position she could more easily bathe the taiyoukai's face. _What's happening to you?_ she wondered as she dipped the cloth into the cool water and dabbed his face, smoothing hair away from his forehead.

Vanessa shifted down to the cushion beside his bed and gently pried his claws away from the bedding before he tore it to shreds and took his hand in hers, just as she had the night before. His hand lay limply in hers for a while, but then she felt his long fingers curl around her own. Shocked, her eyes snapped up to his face, but there was still no change – he just slept on, motionless as ever.

Just then, Rin came in. She still seemed a little hesitant in approaching Sesshoumaru while he slept, but Vanessa motioned her in. "You're holding Sesshoumaru-sama's hand," she observed.

"I am," Vanessa said, smiling a bit sheepishly. "I just thought he should know that he's not alone."

Rin looked at her thoughtfully for a moment and then smiled and climbed onto her lap to await their dinner. "I think he knows," she said finally.

VvVvVvVvV

Nanashi and Tenshi walked for what must have been hours, though there was no way of telling the passage of time in the dark corridors. It amazed Nanashi to no end that the child with him so confidently navigated the twists and turns of the labyrinth. A right turn here, a left there, straight through other intersections, and never did Tenshi falter or have to think about where she was going. It was as though she truly did know her way 'home,' not that he had any real reason to doubt her. Finally Nanashi called a halt. He was certain that the child would need to rest at some point, and it might have been a bit selfish of him, but he didn't want his only companion to grow too exhausted to go on. He was determined to keep her as healthy as one could be in a dark, dank tunnel. When they came to a bend in the path, they stopped and he sat with his back to the corner so that he could see anything coming at them from either direction – though they had yet to encounter any other life form on their journey.

Some lost almost-memory led him to expect Tenshi to simply curl up beside him, but instead, she happily climbed onto his lap. Nanashi was stunned. He stared down at her as she made herself comfortable. Something about the whole situation felt… odd, but he shrugged it off and held her to him when she laid her head on his chest, appreciating the comfort of another living being with him in the dark and desolate labyrinth. Tenshi fell asleep almost instantly, tiny arms snaking around his middle in a tight embrace.

Nanashi, on the other hand, remained wakeful for a long time. He wondered what had brought him to this place. There was no sign of life, no food, no water… He glanced down at Tenshi. How long had she been in the tunnels without food or water? How much longer would she survive? He knew that he would be fine for some time yet, but Tenshi… she was so young. There was nothing he could do at the moment, he reasoned. The girl seemed to know the tunnels so perhaps her home was nearby. He would ask her when she woke up.

At some point during their brief rest, Nanashi must have drifted off to sleep as well, but when he awoke, the little girl was nowhere in sight. "Tenshi?" he called as he rose to his feet, wondering how she had untangled herself from him without waking him. He looked down both sides of the tunnel. He was about to call out to her again when she materialized out of the darkness.

"I'm here, Nanashi," she said, skipping up to him and he felt a faint flicker of relief. Who knew how long she had been in the dark tunnels? Surely she could take care of herself to an extent. Still… Nanashi felt better knowing where she was and that she was safe.

"Tenshi," he said, remembering his concerns for her. "Where do you find food or water in here?"

"Oh… I don't eat a lot. Come on! This way."

Nanashi frowned. What did she mean that she 'didn't eat a lot'? Was there nothing for her to eat? Or did she only mean what she said, that whatever amount of food she found was enough? He let her lead him down the dark halls with nothing but dirty stone for scenery. Tenshi walked several paces ahead of him, occasionally glancing back and smiling at him or trotting back to his side to take his hand for a while. They didn't talk much, both being content to simply share the same space, but Nanashi was curious about the girl. Where _had_ she come from? Whenever he asked her about herself, she gave vague, indirect answers.

After wandering through endless stretches of tunnel, Tenshi scampered ahead and around a corner into the darkness. Nanashi quickened his pace – she didn't seem have a convenient circle of mysterious light to brighten her path, like he did, but when he too turned the corner, the little girl was gone. He took a few steps more, thinking she might be just ahead, but she still made no appearance.

"Tenshi," he called into the blackness. No response. "Little one, where are you?" Again, there was no answer and it was at about that moment that he noticed her scent dissipating. It wasn't fading in a way that suggested that she had run off down the hall, but was disappearing altogether. It was as though every trace of her presence was being wiped from the area. Had he imagined his little guide? Had he actually gone mad in the dark tunnels? Nanashi wouldn't believe it. Tenshi was there somewhere; he just had to find her.

Nanashi fought down a moment of panic, not for his own safety, but for that of the little girl. People don't just disappear. He waited for a long time, thinking that she might come back as she had earlier, but she didn't and other than traces of it on his own clothing, he could no longer detect the sweet lilac and rain of her scent. She was gone. Finally, he sighed and marked the wall to his right with his claws. He had given up marking his path after he'd come across Tenshi, but it was no use getting lost now, after he'd traveled so far already. He turned back in the direction Tenshi had gone and was shocked to find another presence with him. There had been no one else for so long, it was a little disconcerting to meet someone new.

The newcomer stood just outside the circle of light, far enough in the shadows to keep his identity hidden, but Nanashi sensed nothing but cruelty and malice from him. He was wary, but he also felt that he should know this stranger, that there was something important that he was forgetting. "Who are you? What do you want?" he demanded, and was slightly taken aback when the vague outline of the stranger's shoulders began to shake and cruel laugher filled his ears, echoing off the walls of the tunnel to sound like a hundred voices.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen – what is it you call yourself now? Nanashi? Quite fitting for one as renowned as yourself, don't you think?"

At once, Nanashi knew that he didn't like this stranger. This person knew something about him and, no matter what it took he would learn what he wanted to know. "Who are you?" he repeated.

"You mean you don't remember?" the stranger sneered.

"Show yourself, or are you that much of a coward?" Nanashi snarled in return. He was more than a little frustrated that he knew nothing of himself, but this taunting was striking a chord deep within him. The stranger laughed again.

"Frustrated, are you? Well… if you insist." Slowly, he stepped into the light and turned his gaze to meet Nanashi's eye. His skin was porcelain white, framed by long, wavy black hair, but what caused Nanashi's breath to hitch – not out of fear but with loathing of some just out of reach memory – were his blood-red eyes, so filled with evil that it was difficult to maintain eye contact, but he did. He had to. He would not back down to this… creature. "Is this better?" the stranger asked. "I am called Naraku," he said with a chuckle. "Trigger any… memories?"

Nanashi growled. How had this stranger come so close to guessing his thoughts?

"Oh, I don't guess… Nanashi," he said with a chuckle, "I can see quite clearly into your mind, though unfortunately for me, this time all I see of your memory is fog, just as you do. Pity that it was an inevitable side effect. I would have liked to know what you kept hidden from me in the past."

"So it is your doing that I am here."

"I orchestrated your fall, yes," Naraku responded, carelessly examining his claws.

"What do you want?"

"Naturally, I want you out of my way. I've failed to kill you on several occasions, but this time it will be different."

A cruel smile played on Naraku's lips and Nanashi's right hand moved to his left hip, seemingly of its own accord, but what he had expected to find there, he wasn't sure. He had no weapons, nor could he recall any that he might have had. Naraku laughed again.

"Fighting will do you no good. This time I will not fail. You are in my world now."

Suddenly, the tunnels flashed wildly in a myriad of sceneries and landscapes, until finally it came to a stop. They stood in a clearing next to a small stream. "I control what you see," Naraaku told him. Nanashi knew it had to be an illusion, but he was glad to see greenery, glad to feel the sun on his skin.

"I control what you hear," he said as an unnatural silence fell over the clearing. "And I control what you feel."

The very same moment a breeze teased Nanashi's long silver hair, an intense, white-hot pain lit up behind his eyes. It brought him to his knees clutching his head and sucking in ragged breaths in a desperate attempt to quell the pain. _What… is happening to me?_ It felt as though his head would be split in two by the sheer force of the pain alone. Then, just as suddenly as it started, the pain disappeared. Nanashi took a breath and stood slowly, calmly and once again met Naraku's gaze with one of cool indifference. He was determined not to show such weakness to his enemy again, and he glared at the evil grin that split his opponent's face as the scenery changed once again to return to stone tunnels from before.

"Yes," Naraku drawled. "This could be interesting. You see I created this place. True, it all resides within your own mind," he said with a smirk, "but here… you are mine. I alone know what has become of you. To the Outside, you live, and yet you sleep as though dead. You are useless to them, just as I said you would be."

They stared at each other, neither blinking. _All within my… mind?_ It didn't make any sense. "Enough of this," Nanashi snarled. His hand clenched at his side, itching to feel the weight of a sword once more. _At least my body retains memories that my mind does not,_ he thought ruefully. "It is true that I have no memory of who or what I am, but of one thing I am certain: you must die." He advanced a few steps on Naraku, who only chuckled.

"You think you can defeat me with nothing but your bare claws and a few fragmented memories? Fine then. Show me. I'll even give you a fair fight." Nanashi knew by the way this Naraku said 'fair' that it would be anything but. Still, he had to try.

Nanashi wasn't sure what he'd hoped to accomplish, but he felt that his body would know what to do. If he couldn't remember what he was capable of, then he had to trust in his instincts. He halted several paces from the stranger with his right arm outstretched, first and second fingers pointed together. Instinct prompted him to make such a pose, and instinct caused him to focus on a strange pooling of energy in his fingertips. He slid his eyes to the side and noticed the faint green glow, and he smirked. _Now _this_ could be interesting._

Moving his hand quickly in a smooth, wide arc, Nanashi masked his own surprise when a long ribbon of energy flowed from his fingertips. He snapped his hand and the ribbon followed its movement and cracked like a whip. Now to try it on his new enemy – he whirled the whip around him and finally aimed for Naraku, hoping to remove his head or at least a limb, but he was too nimble and dodged at the last moment.

"I see that I could not keep your body from remembering. Well, if it's a fight you want…" With that Naraku darted forward, not with claws outstretched as Nanashi had expected, but with thick, brown tentacles streaming from his back. Nanashi was quick, dodging each attack as it came and slicing through the tentacles as they darted for him. However, with each appendage cut, a vile mist spewed from the wound and began fill the hall. It didn't have much of an effect on him, but it did make it more difficult to see.

Besides the snake-like tentacles, Nanashi couldn't seem to make any significant contact with his opponent. The one strike he was certain would end it only passed harmlessly through Naraku as though he struck at nothing but air. As he stood there frowning down at his claws, Naraku took the opportunity to press an attack of his own. Nanashi looked up again just in time to see the attack coming, but without time to dodge effectively. Although his last ditch maneuver kept him from being impaled, Naraku still hit him with enough force to send him slamming into the opposite wall, the tip of the tentacle cutting a ragged gash across his midsection.

As Nanashi shook himself out of a daze, berating himself for foolishly letting his guard down, Naraku stood over him, staring at him with a look of smug satisfaction. "You know," the stranger said, standing there casually, as if he hadn't a care in the world. "You might have been the one to defeat me. I guess now we'll never know." Another grin spread across his pale face, "I am actually a little insulted that it took so little to bring you down – and all for one. Insignificant. Human."

Nanashi ignored his words. At about that moment a tendril of lilac and rain teased his nose and he knew that Naraku could not know of his little Tenshi. He let Naraku think he was beat for the moment, if only to give himself a chance to force him from his mind. Naraku frowned. "What are you hiding?" he asked, but Nanashi only continued to focus on the stone of the walls surrounding him. If only he could wall up his mind, just as stone surrounded him. He knew he could do it; after all, hadn't Naraku mentioned that he had blocked his mind from him before…?

Nanashi stood, ignoring the pain in his abdomen and stared evenly at Naraku. He knew he had succeeded in blocking him when his frown deepened. "I don't think I will kill you yet," Naraku said. "It would be better for you to wander in here for a while more. Try all you want. You will not escape." Just then lilac and spring rain returned on a breeze, blowing away the miasma, and dissolving a shocked Naraku into wisps of smoke. _This is not the last I have seen of that one, _Nanashi thought.

Suddenly, Tenshi barreled through the remnants of the stranger's presence and threw her arms around his knees. "Nanashi!" she cried happily. Had she seen them fighting? Or worse, had Naraku seen her? He knelt before the small child, wanting to know that she was unhurt, but then a sudden thought caused him to cautiously back away from her.

…_You are in my world ... I control what you see… what you feel… I created this place… _Could it be that Tenshi really was nothing more than a figment of his imagination? Had Naraku created her to lull him into complacency? Could he trust anything that he saw in this place? "Nanashi?" Tenshi said, the confusion evident in her small face. He had accepted her presence readily from the moment he met her, but now… Now he was uncertain. She reached out to him, but he shied away again, backing up straight to the wall. She was a child. What could he possibly stand to fear from a child? But if that Naraku had created her, there was no telling what might happen. "N-Nanashi? What's wrong?" she said again with a small quaver in her voice. It was her eyes that convinced him – so innocent and… frightened? Of what? Did she fear that he would leave her? He turned away from her, but didn't take another step. None of this made any sense.

Nanashi was jolted out of his thoughts by small fingers clutching those of his much larger hand and he looked down to find Tenshi staring up at him with pleading eyes. No, Naraku's mind couldn't possibly comprehend the innocence that this child embodied. She was real. She had to be, but if what Naraku said was true… then what was she doing here? And what did he mean that this was all in his mind? It was too much to try to decipher at the moment so he shook his head slightly and dropped to one knee before her, involuntarily wincing as he laid his hands on her shoulders.

"Nanashi? Are you hurt?" There was an edge of panic in her voice that only convinced him more that she was real. He shook his head.

"It is nothing," he could already feel the tingle of his flesh knitting itself back together, "but what about you? Where did you go? Are you hurt?"

She shrugged and hugged him around the neck, burying her face in his shoulder as he lifted her from the ground. "I'm not hurt," she said, leaning away again to look at him. "Sometimes I have to leave, but if I do, wait for me, okay? I'll always come back. I still want you to come home with me," she said and planted a butterfly kiss on his cheek.

Nanashi froze, his eyes widening in surprise. He remembered… something… mere fragments. What stood out among all the rest were soul-filled violet eyes and pale spun-gold curls, but not Tenshi's. These were older. He looked down and stared at the child in his arms, wondering who she was that she should look so much like the one in his broken memories. "Tenshi…" he began, "Do you know who I am?"

She grinned at him. "Of course I do, silly!" she exclaimed, and for a moment, his hopes lifted. "You're Nanashi." And then came crashing down again.

"Indeed." He tried not to let his disappointment show. Perhaps he had asked the wrong question. She knew him as 'Nanashi' only because that was how he introduced himself, but he was someone… else. He had a name and life outside these walls. He had to. Why couldn't he remember? "Why do you want so badly for me to go with you?"

Tenshi tilted her head and looked him solidly in the eye. "Because you have to. I feel it right here," she said, pointing to where her heart beat within her chest. "Don't you feel it?" Then she frowned and plucked at a lock of silver hair that had fallen over his shoulder. "Don't you want to come with me?"

Nanashi held the child a little closer. _I do feel it. _"Of course I do, little one. Forgive me, I was troubled." He began walking again, still carrying Tenshi, but she didn't complain or squirm to be put down. In fact she seemed perfectly content in her perch and laid her head on his shoulder. That feeling of strangeness returned, that maybe he wasn't accustomed to such contact, but he also felt as if letting her go would take away some part of his sanity. To the best of his judgment, it hadn't been more than two days since he awoke in darkness, and yet he could feel his mind slipping away. Tenshi seemed to bring it back to him.

Down the winding tunnels they went. Tenshi muttered directions until Nanashi reached an intersection and Tenshi was oddly silent. When he took a moment to listen, he could hear her deep and even breathing. She had fallen asleep. He shook his head.

Despite that he had been battling earlier, Nanashi wasn't at all tired. Even so, he settled himself on the ground for a short rest, cradling Tenshi in his lap. It did give him a moment to think on his encounter with Naraku.

… _all for one insignificant human …_

_Human… _What did it matter that this person he supposedly saved was human? _Youkai,_ his brain supplied suddenly. Nanashi frowned as he continued to puzzle it out. _I am youkai,_ he realized with a start. He was youkai just as Naraku was, but there was something different about the stranger. He seemed incomplete, somehow impure. _Half-blood?_

So Nanashi was youkai. The more he thought about it, the more Naraku's words perplexed him. What did he care whether one human lived or died? But as that question entered his mind, he glanced down at the sleeping Tenshi and ran the back of one clawed finger along her cheek. She sighed in her sleep and nuzzled her face into his haori and Nanashi couldn't help but to offer her a small smile. _So like a pup._

So young. So fragile. So human… He realized then that though he had known her only a short time, he would protect her with everything he had. Was that human Outside like Tenshi? Had he found himself unable to allow her to come to harm? But what happened to her after he came to this place? Who was she?

A/N:

Okay… I thought long and hard about this and I decided to split this "chapter" into two parts. It's shorter than normal, but I couldn't continue after this point without it feeling forced. I really had two good stopping points and this was the first one. The next chapter will be short as well, but I felt like it would be better separated. I was torn on the issue and that's part of why it took so long to get this bit out. Part of me wants to wrap this part up and get on with the story because there's still a lot that I want to tell, but the rest of me was more concerned with the flow. So… flow won. I'm hoping it won't take too long to get the next part out.

Furthermore, before you say anything, just one quick thing – Nanashi/Sesshoumaru might seem (very) OOC in this chapter to many of you, but I can explain. He has no memory of himself or his past, and also since he's in his mind, he has both arms. (It's my story. I can do what I want.) Anyway, this the way I think he would be if his past hadn't shaped him into who he is: quiet and reserved, but not cold and detached. If/when he comes back to the real world, he will be back to his old self. So never fear! I haven't decided yet how much he'll remember when that happens.

Now, to my lovely reviewers that I didn't reply to in their original comments:

**Skiroura (Or "Anonymous without an email address"): **I am imagining now just how Vanessa could nurse him back to health – and how he'd probably fight it every step of the way… or will he? Maybe we'll find out in the next chapter! And so far, Germany has been great (I've only been here for 2 ½ days). I haven't seen much by way of touristy spots yet, but I'm still waiting for a student loan check to clear back home. _Then_ I plan on seeing everything that I can.

**Bobalina:** I have no problem telling you that it really was Sesshoumaru's daddy that came to visit Vanessa, just like he did for Sesshoumaru, except Vanessa wasn't dreaming at the time. He may come back from time to time, but only when he's needed.


	16. Finding the Light

A/N: Sorry, fixed a few typos.

Into the East

Chapter sixteen: Finding the Light

Posted: 22 September 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

The days passed and still Sesshoumaru had not awoken so Vanessa had to decide whether or not to call Shizu. He still seemed to be plagued by dreams, but that didn't necessarily mean that he was getting worse. It had only been a few days, but at the same time, the healers didn't seem to have any clue as to what to do next.

Vanessa glanced up from her writing – she had gotten her hands on some parchment and a quill and ink so that she could start recording everything that had happened since she crossed into this time, not that she though she'd ever really forget. The sun had set not too long ago and Rin had been put to bed. She and Jaken were both waiting with Sesshoumaru. Taking a breath, Vanessa stood and stretched. "I'm going to get some air," she told the imp. "Do you want anything? I could go to the kitchen."

Jaken merely turned his nose up and said, "I don't need anything from you, mortal."

She shook her head and left. The little green man tried so hard to act aloof, but more often than not, he just appeared ridiculous. Vanessa glanced down the hall and stole down the stairs and out the back door. A quick run brought her to the edge of the trees and she quickly concealed herself in the shadows. It didn't take long for Shizu to find her.

"_So there has been no change?"_ the horse asked as she stepped closer to her human friend.

"No… and now he seems to be having dreams or nightmares."

Shizu closed her eyes for a moment and then raised her head. _"I will come."_ They walked quickly and quietly to the edge of the forest.

"How near do you need to be?" Vanessa asked her.

"_I will try from here, but if we need to move closer, we will."_ Then she lowered her head and rolled her eyes back to look at Vanessa. _"I'm a little nervous. What if he knows that I'm poking around in there?"_

Vanessa laid her hand on Shizu's shoulder. "You don't have to, but if he says anything, then I'll tell him that I put you up to it."

"_You don't have to do that… Okay,"_ she said, using one of the terms she learned from Vanessa. _"I'm going to try."_ Shizu closed her eyes and her head drooped a little as though she had fallen asleep, but then she jerked her head up. _"That was too easy,"_ she said.

"What was?" Vanessa asked, concerned at Shizu's reaction.

"_That time when I probed him before, it was as though I was met with a solid wall. Now… he has no such wall around his mind."_

"Could it be that he's dropped his defenses because he's unconscious?"

"_Maybe…"_ Shizu resumed her previous posture as she peeked again into Sesshoumaru's mind. _"I don't think that's the case,"_ she said. _"Something is still blocking me, but it's different… Instead of a wall keeping me out, it's as though everything is hidden by a mist or fog. Wait…"_

"Do you see something?"

"_I… think so… Through the mist I'm seeing a long passageway. I think… Sesshoumaru-sama is in here somewhere and has to find his way through. I don't see him or anyone else for that matter, but I get the feeling that he's trapped in his own mind."_ Suddenly she straightened and locked one brilliant blue eye on Vanessa's violet. _"I think you should return to him."_

"What? Now?" Shizu bobbed her head in a horse nod. "Well, okay. I'll come see you again soon." The horse only nodded again and turned back to the trees, leaving Vanessa to make her way back to the house alone.

Just as she stepped through the door and took off her sandals, she jumped in surprise to find someone standing directly in front of her where there was no one only moments before. Clutching her chest to try to ease her pounding heart, Vanessa frowned up at him. "Saburo-san, you startled me."

"My apologies. What were you doing out alone at this hour?" he asked sternly, but not unkindly.

"I… um… took a walk. I needed some air."

He stared at her for a moment and then smirked. "So how are the winged horses?"

"I… huh?" she almost squeaked. Not the most intelligent of responses she realized, so she tried again. "Er.. what I mean is… you know about them?"

"Naturally, and you have the smell of horse on you when you haven't been near the stables in days. I know nearly as much of the hidden workings of this palace as Sesshoumaru-sama himself. However, I was not aware that you had met them."

"Sesshoumaru-sama introduced me to Kaminari and Shizu the first week I was here." This time it was Saburo's turn to be surprised.

"You certainly can keep a secret."

Vanessa shrugged. "I guess. I did bring Rin out to meet Shizu the other day – after I told her that Sesshoumaru-sama was hurt. She won't tell anyone though."

"Good."

"Well, I should probably be getting back upstairs. Good night," she said stepping around Saburo and setting her foot on the first step.

"Yes, sleep well. And Vanessa-san?" She turned to face him again. "My offer still stands. Rai and I would like you have you to dinner some night. Bring Rin along, if you like."

"I'd like that. I'll let you know."

"Right then. Be careful when you are alone. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you or Rin while Sesshoumaru-sama sleeps." Then he smirked again. "I think he would be most displeased."

Vanessa stared perplexed after Saburo as he turned and walked away. _What a strange thing to say._ Sure, she was his guest and Rin was his ward, but why would he make a point of telling her that. Then again… The whole reason that he was lying in that bed was that he was protecting her. If she went and got herself hurt, then everything he did for her would be for nothing. Saburo was right. Sesshoumaru wouldn't be happy.

Finally she returned to Sesshoumaru's bedroom only to find Jaken hovering at his bedside. He didn't quite seem to know what to do with himself and from the tension in Sesshoumaru's face, it was clear that he had had another dream. Vanessa wished that there were something – anything – that she could do to make him heal faster. "Jaken," she said softly. "Is everything okay?"

The imp stared at her as if to say that without his lord telling him what to do, his world was ending. _Alright, stupid question._ Vanessa took her seat on the cushions beside Sesshoumaru, just as she had the past three nights. All they could do was wait.

Another week passed, but to Vanessa it felt as though time were standing agonizingly still. Finally she decided, just for a change of pace, to have dinner with Saburo and Rai. She asked Rin if she would like to join her, but the girl said that she would rather stay near Sesshoumaru. His unconsciousness had really taken its toll on her and she was scared to leave the general vicinity anymore in case something happened.

So Vanessa made her way to Saburo's quarters. She knew that he would be the first to know if anything changed with Sesshoumaru, so she wasn't worried about missing anything. Even if something did happen, she would be with his second in command and she was almost sure that Saburo would tell her.

She knocked lightly on their door and was greeted by a smiling Saburo. "Vanessa-san. I am pleased you finally decided to join us. Rai has ordered up several dishes that we hope you will enjoy."

"Thank you. I'm sure whatever you selected will be delicious." Vanessa followed him into a comfortably furnished sitting room and took an offered seat on one of the cushions. As she looked around, she could definitely tell that a female lived there. Little touches like the small vase on an end table or a particularly floral painting on the wall made the place homey and also stood in stark contrast to the neat, utilitarian style of Sesshoumaru's suite.

A moment later Rai came out with tea for all of them. "I am glad you came!"

Vanessa smiled at her. "I asked Rin if she wanted to come, but she couldn't bring herself to leave Sesshoumaru-sama's side. The longer he stays like this the less I want to leave him too, but I figured you'd be the first to know if anything changes."

"We are all worried for him," Saburo said gently. "But we can't let the palace fall to pieces without him, now can we?" Something about Saburo's confidence and general cheery nature did wonders to lift Vanessa's spirits as she absently sipped her tea. She was worried about Sesshoumaru – probably more worried than she had ever been about anyone, but falling into a depression wasn't going to help him get better. That was why she tried to get Rin to go out and do something from the beginning – not to hide him from her, not always anyway, but just to keep her mind occupied. She made sure that the girl still went to her lessons and had brought her to see Shizu again. Vanessa wasn't sure what to do about Jaken, but he was an adult; she figured he could take care of himself pretty well.

"Vanessa-san?" She jerked her head up in response to Saburo's voice. What had he said? She blushed and set her cup of tea on the table.

"I'm sorry. I was distracted, what were you saying?"

Saburo smiled warmly and said, "I only said it must be difficult to be so far from home."

"Oh. Yes, sometimes, but to be honest, I haven't thought about my home very much. I don't know what that makes me, but ever since I… arrived here, I've been too busy to be homesick very much."

"Is your homeland very different from here?" Rai asked, but before Vanessa could answer, three servants came in and quickly laid out the spread of food then left as silently as they entered.

"This looks wonderful!" Vanessa exclaimed, though the platter of less than cooked meats made her stomach turn a little.

Rai smiled across the table at her. "My beloved mate's tastes are rather more carnal than I prefer so we usually have a variety when it comes to food. This is one of my favorite vegetable dishes," she said indicating a bowl of cooked vegetables in some sort of sauce. "And I thought you might like some _cooked_ meat with your meal so this one here has some roasted chicken in it, but feel free to help yourself to whatever you want."

Vanessa was touched that they had taken her human tastes into consideration and when they started serving themselves, she filled a plate with rice and some of both the chicken and the vegetable dish. She noticed that Rai only took the vegetables and didn't touch either of the meat dishes. It made her curious.

"Rai-san, would it be rude of me to ask what sort of youkai you are?" she asked and then took a bite.

The other female laughed. "Of course not. I come from a deer clan in the mountains and Saburo is a tiger from the south. I know," she said when Vanessa stared at her a bit incredulously, "we are an odd pairing."

"Rai led me on quite the chase before she finally agreed to be mine," Saburo said with a grin and was promptly swatted on the shoulder by his mate.

"Behave. I was a new messenger assigned to Saburo's unit and had my hands too full with my duties to even think of seeking a mate at the time, but dear Saburo was insistent. I don't think a day went by during that entire six-month tour after we met that I didn't find some flower or another small thing outside my tent. Though it wasn't until we arrived back here that he actually spoke to me for the first time outside of the occasional briefing meeting."

"I was shy."

"I'll believe _that_ when the moon falls from the sky. Anyway, my family was wary at first, but we fell in love and in the end, that's all that mattered to my father."

It was true. Vanessa could see nothing but love and adoration in Rai's eyes as Saburo took her hand and lightly kissed the back before returning to his meal. "But enough about us," she said.

"Right," Vanessa said. "You asked about my homeland before." She thought for a minute about what to tell them. From what Rai said the other night, she assumed that Saburo knew something of the truth, but how much? Did he know that she came from the future? She was sure that Rai and Saburo were trustworthy and she didn't want to be one to force secrets between them – even though they were Sesshoumaru's orders and not hers… After all, it was her life wasn't it? Couldn't she talk about what she wanted with whom she wanted? Still… she couldn't have them getting in trouble with Sesshoumaru by talking about her origins around people he hadn't deemed 'in the know.' Would it always be this complicated? _Alright, cover story it is…_ she decided.

"It depends on what part of the country you are in. Some parts are similar to this area: mountainous and forested. Other parts are nothing but plains as far as the eye can see with barely a hill to break the horizon. We've also got a deserts and marshlands. My country is very large."

"It must be," Rai said, awed by the wide range of land features. Saburo hadn't said anything yet. He only watched her.

"As I told Sesshoumaru-sama before, my home country reaches from the east coast to the west of the continent. Most people live on the eastern side, though," she said, keeping in mind that at this point in time, few people had actually settled in what would be the US. "There are two mountain ranges, a wide plain and a desert to cross before reaching the west coast. Then there's the ocean that separates my continent from your islands."

"Have you seen much of what your country holds? You speak as though you have made the journey from coast to coast."

"My family likes to travel," Vanessa said, intentionally vague on that point.

"Did your family voyage here with you?" Rai asked softly. Clearly they weren't with her now, so either something happened to them or they never made the trip in the first place.

"No. They are still on the other side of the ocean. I set off on my own and the next thing I knew, I was here. They don't know where I am, but Sesshoumaru-sama is helping me to find a way home."

"Speaking of our lord," Saburo finally spoke up, "the hour grows late and I would like to check on him myself." He rose from his seat and held a hand out first to Rai and then to Vanessa to help them up. "I am glad you came to visit, Vanessa-san and I am sure that Rai agrees with me when I say that I hope you join us again sometime. Now, if you will allow me, I will walk you back to your quarters."

Vanessa gave her thanks to Rai for her hospitality, assuring her that she would stop by again sometime and followed Saburo out into the hall.

"You did well in concealing your origins," he said when they were well out of hearing range of his home. This only solidified Vanessa's suspicion that he knew the truth.

"You know the truth about me, don't you?" she asked him.

"I do."

"It's not that I don't trust you or Rai. I just don't want to undermine Sesshoumaru-sama's authority when he's done so much to protect me. I'm sorry I'm the cause for secrets between you and your mate…"

Saburo chuckled. "There is much I cannot tell her, so fear not. She understands my roll as advisor."

"After I leave… If I find a way to get home that is… I'd like you to tell her. If I stay… well, then it won't matter much where I come from."

"It will be as you ask. Thank you."

They spent the remaining minutes of their walk across the compound in companionable silence and when they reached Sesshoumaru's quarters, Vanessa checked that Rin was asleep in her bed and then hovered just outside his door, shamelessly eavesdropping while Saburo spoke with the healer that came in the evenings.

"I am concerned that he has not yet awoken," the healer said softly. "He needs to eat to maintain his strength in fighting this illness. We have managed to feed him some broth occasionally, but I fear it will not be enough."

"Keep doing what you can," Saburo told her. "He will awaken when he is ready."

"Hai. I take my leave then."

Vanessa darted to the opposite side of the room, away from Sesshoumaru's door, so as not to meet the healer as she left. The healers were worried. That thought kept cycling around in her mind and twisted her gut with worries of her own while she waited for Saburo to leave as well. Sesshoumaru had to wake up. He just had to.

At last, Saburo exited Sesshoumaru's room and gave her a nod before leaving the suite altogether. That was all the cue Vanessa needed to go in and see him herself. He appeared the same, but as she looked closer, she noticed that he seemed just a little thinner and the shadows under his eyes a little darker. He wasn't just sleeping, as he appeared to be. He was fighting. Whatever it was inside him, he was fighting it, but how much longer could he hold out?

Vanessa knelt beside him and lightly stroked the side of his face with his fingertips. "Stay with me," she said softly. "We're all worried about you so come back and tell us all our worrying was pointless. Please? Please come back." She was determined not to give up on him. No matter what the healers said, he would come back to them.

VvVvVvVvV

That blinding pain again… Nanashi had lost count of the number of visits this Naraku character had paid him since that first. It had become some sort of game with him. Each time he appeared he would bring that pain to Nanashi's head and let it linger longer and longer until he wanted to beg him to stop, but he couldn't do that. Nanashi glared daggers at Naraku, but the sweat beading on his forehead was the only other indication of the strain he was under. It wasn't that he had grown immune to the pain, not by any means, but in the days… weeks… possibly and entire moon span since he had first encountered Naraku, he had learned to school his reactions. Although it meant that Naraku tried that much harder to gain a reaction, Nanashi would not give him the satisfaction. Whatever he had done in his previous life, he would not begin this one by begging.

The pain left no lasting effects. It came and left with nothing between occurrences but the memory of the one before. And in those brief reprieves they fought. Nanashi threw everything he had into those battles on the hope that maybe this time Naraku would fall, but it was never different from the first. The only successful strikes were to those grotesque tentacles and that only served to fill the corridor with foul-smelling miasma. Every attack that Nanashi was certain would strike true passed harmlessly as though through air. It was infuriating and Nanashi was getting tired.

He was weary of the darkness, weary of the unending labyrinth of stone – Naraku elected not to change that since that one small taste of Outside he had shown him so long ago. He was weary of these fruitless battles that sapped his strength with each passing day. Were they days? Or were they merely hours, minutes between encounters? It was growing ever more difficult to judge the already vague passing of time. His only ray of light, his hope, was the tiny girl that Naraku could. Not. Know about. _She_ was why he fought, his little Tenshi. At times he wondered if she didn't truly embody her namesake. How could she remain so innocent, so pure in the face of… everything?

Panting slightly, but standing tall, Nanashi squared off again with his opponent. He felt the familiar pooling of energy in his fingertips and wondered how much longer it would last. Sometimes Naraku flinched at the sight of the ribbon of green light as though he remembered a time when it might have actually done him harm. It was the only advantage Nanashi seemed to have. Naraku _knew_ what he was capable of, even if he did not.

They had been going back and forth between that near paralyzing pain and fighting for what seemed to be ages, ever since Tenshi left again. Nanashi had given up asking or even wondering where she went. She always came back, just as she had promised, but he had long since made the connection between her disappearance and Naraku's appearance. Something about her warded against him. He didn't know what it was, but he didn't particularly care. The important thing was that Naraku not know it was she who sent him away every time. What if Tenshi was somehow linked to the Outside?

Whatever Naraku was, his living body was not there in the tunnels, and if what the half-breed said was true, and this was all in Nanashi's mind then his living body wasn't there either. That could only mean that the rest of him was somewhere Outside, most likely unconscious and defenseless. If Tenshi were linked to the Outside as well, he would not have the real Naraku finding her. _Too many unknowns,_ he thought and growled his frustration. Naraku chuckled and sneered at him. "Why not just give up and tell me what your are hiding? Then all of this will be over. I can kill you and go back to life as usual."

"My mind is not for you to know," Nanashi stated coolly. "Kill me and be done with it. I will tell you nothing."

"Arrogant fool," Naraku spat. "Fine. If that is your wish, I will gladly grant it."

Searing, white-hot pain, worse than ever before lanced through Nanashi's skull and coursed through his veins. Losing himself, he clutched head and released a sound that was some combination angry snarl and pathetic whine. He gritted his teeth and chanced to open his eyes, but everything was hazy and flooded in white. A surreal landscape surrounded him, unnatural shadows falling off of every crack and pebble in the floor with one lone dark figure standing stark against the whiteness. He looked down, unintentionally averting his eyes from the one who seemed to suck up everything light even as he created it, and found himself on his knees. When he had fallen, he couldn't say, but he knew that he would be a long time rising again this time. It felt as though the pain itself wanted release and struggled through every nerve in his body to get out. It felt as though this body, this bit of his mind that Naraku had allowed him to keep would be shattered and there wasn't a thing he could do to stop it.

Then, as suddenly as he started it, Naraku called it back. Merciful peace descended on Nanashi and he crumpled the remaining distance to the floor. He didn't think he could stand if he tried and at the moment he didn't care. Nanashi stared as Naraku's feet slowly approached him. It was all he could do to fight off the blackness that so desperately wanted to follow the light. It was a small thing, remaining conscious, but he would not let Naraku win. He had not been defeated yet, and while he still breathed, he would do all in his power to maintain the trend, even if it was so small a thing as fighting the blackness until Tenshi came to banish Naraku.

Naraku stopped, just a pace away from Nanashi's head and just stood there silently. Nanashi was focused solely on staying awake. He watched the black boots approach and then halt. He stared at them but his vision kept quaking. His head had begun to throb. Perhaps Naraku had gone too far this time. It was the first time that he left evidence behind of the power he had over Nanashi. But wasn't he _trying_ to kill him this time? What made him stop?

Nanashi kept his eyes trained on Naraku's boots; he knew that if he so much as blinked, it would be the end; he wouldn't be able to fight it anymore. He watched as Naraku squatted before him, resting his elbows on his knees. "You perplex me… Nanashi," Naraku said casually. "You see there? I almost called you by your true name just now. I wonder what that might have done to this little world I've created for you?"

_Is that all it would take to be rid of this place? Remember my name?_ "I want your power, Nanashi. Killing you here will not get me that." _Stand. Sit up! Do something!_ Nanashi thought angrily to himself. _I will not face the end lying weak as a day old pup!_ "Somehow you always repel me at the last possible moment and I… will know…" Naraku fell silent as Nanashi slid a hand over the rough stone, trying to find a point to lever himself up off the floor. After one failed attempt, he managed to prop himself up on his hands, and then his knees, until finally he hoisted himself into a crouch that mirrored Naraku's. He smirked; he was not beaten yet. His vision faded in and out with every beat of his heart and he swayed a bit. He wasn't standing tall at the moment, but he was on his feet. No, he wasn't beaten yet.

Naraku actually returned Nanashi's smirk. "As I should have expected from you. Just when I think I have you beaten, you surprise me and pull through." Then his scowl returned. "For that little reminder, I think I will kill you. I can't have you coming back seeking revenge and ruining my plans."

Nanashi knew what was coming, but he was ready. He did not fear death and had a feeling that the rest of him in the Outside felt the same way. It was beneath his concern, just another step in passing from one life into the next, but he would face it, if not standing, then at least on his feet. So when Naraku brought the pain again, he was content in knowing that he had never revealed Tenshi to him. She at least would find her way home, with or without him. He could almost smell her as he fell to the floor again. _Such a sweet smell._ But then when Naraku shrieked in outrage and dissolved before his very eyes, he snapped his eyes open. Tenshi was back. She shouldn't see him like this, but he couldn't fight the blackness anymore. Naraku left and took with him the splitting pain and Nanashi was so tired… As his vision continued to fade he saw Tenshi pause at the edge of his circle of light and then run to him until all he could see were here tiny bare feet, and then he lost his fight with consciousness.

VvVvVvVvV

It was a week since Vanessa had had dinner with Rai and Saburo and she'd hardly left Sesshoumaru since then. It wasn't natural, the way he lay so still on that bed – but then they had all known that from the beginning. It was growing more and more difficult to keep her worries to herself and not alarm Rin, but as she had noted before, Rin was a very perceptive child.

Saburo had come in earlier that day to find Vanessa just staring at Sesshoumaru. She hadn't even known how long she was there until she looked outside and saw that it was already late morning. In the middle of the night she awoke from a nightmare and couldn't fall back to sleep so she went to sit with Sesshoumaru. Even lying deathly still, his presence was comforting to her. Saburo practically hauled her to her feet and dragged her to her room, surprising her further by opening her wardrobe and selecting a pair of hakama and a haori for her. He told her to go see Shizu and that if anything happened while she was out he would come for her personally. Apparently he didn't want her moping about. Vanessa could only stare after him as he left her, muttering something about negative _ki_ doing nothing for Sesshoumaru-sama's recovery.

After he left, she stood dumbstruck in the middle of her floor until a laugh bubbled up out of her – and then another. She was still shaking her head as she reached for her clothes. Everyone was acting a little strangely lately and if Saburo seemed a bit like a mother hen who'd gotten lessons from Jaken… well, she'd chalk it up to him being worried about his master. He did say that he would come himself if anything happened… and a little fresh air would do her good…

Vanessa quickly changed and jogged out to meet Shizu. The horse did seem happy to see her. _"Nessa, it's been so long since you've been to see me!"_ Vanessa smiled at her and scratched her ears. It had only been a week, but she supposed that she didn't have a very good excuse for not visiting. _"How is Sesshoumaru-sama?"_ At that, Vanessa's smile faded a little.

"He hasn't changed, but I keep feeling that the longer he stays like this, the less chance he has of ever waking. Even his strength won't last forever."

"_Have faith, sister, he will awaken soon. He has to. Now come. Ride with me!"_

Shizu lowered herself a bit toward the ground so Vanessa could more easily hop onto her back and then took off into the forest. It was bliss. Vanessa loved riding normal horses, but they were nothing compared to Shizu. Combine the smooth gait of the daintiest lady's palfrey with the unsuppressed power of the fiercest war horse and the sure-footedness of the most clever mountain pony and it might be something close to what it felt to ride a winged horse. They were just as graceful on the ground as they were in the sky and all of that was what made it so much more surprising when Shizu happened to do something entirely un-graceful.

They had been racing through the forest for a while, both burning off some excess energy – Shizu by galloping full tilt, and Vanessa by the sheer exhilaration of it. Shizu never placed a hoof wrong in all the time Vanessa had been riding her until she turned a sharp corner, and with a mental yelp, slid on the grass, still wet from last night's rain. Her haunches dropped as she fought to regain control of her hooves, but Vanessa held on through it all, though her heart was in her throat at the thought of just how fast they were going and just how she would look splattered on the trees. She held on, that is, until Shizu skidded to a halt. Vanessa still carried just enough momentum to send her sailing over Shizu's shoulder to land with an unceremonious splash in a mud puddle that the horse somehow managed to avoid.

Vanessa groaned as she stood up out of the muck and glared at nothing in particular while nursing her sore bottom. Meanwhile, Shizu began apologizing up, down, left, right and backwards. She shrank back from Vanessa as she approached, reverting to the timidity she had shown when they first met, and it wasn't until Vanessa landed a dollop of mud on her snout that she finally snapped out of it. "There," Vanessa said with an air of finality, "we're even." After that, they fell into a fit of giggles and Vanessa had to lean against her larger, non-human friend to remain upright.

"_Really, Nessa, you're not hurt?"_ Shizu asked, sobering with her concern.

"I'm fine. It's no worse than spills I've taken while riding back home. It wasn't your fault, and besides, I had this… lovely… mud puddle to break my fall," Vanessa said grinning while she flung half-dried bits of mud from her fingertips. "I suppose this means I should go back now and get cleaned up."

"_I will take you."_

"But you'll get dirty. I can walk."

"_I won't be any worse than you are,"_ she said with a giggle.

"Alright then, if you insist." Vanessa climbed back on and they made their way back at a more leisurely pace. They said their good-byes and their usual place at the edge of the trees and went their separate ways, Vanessa a bit stiffly since the mud had had time to dry by this point. _Now for a hot bath_, she thought with a sigh as she entered the bathhouse.

There was always a ready supply of spare towels and robes inside so she didn't even have to bother with going to her room first. She supposed it made sense not to have someone like her, covered head to toe in mud, tracking the mess all over the floors.

She went to her usual secluded corner and peeled her clothes off. There was no point in trying to fold them, so she dropped them in a pile on the floor and sank into the steamy water. She dunked herself and scrubbed at her hair under the water. Later she would come back with her soaps and shampoos and finish the job, but for now, this would have to do. Even though she felt like she would be digging mud out of her ears for a week, by the time she rose out of the water, she thought she had done a decent job of dislodging a vast majority of it from the rest of her. _Just think of it as a mud bath._

Vanessa had just tied a robe around herself and was gingerly plucking her stiff clothes off the floor when she heard a boot crunch on the gravel walk. She was startled, but decent so she stepped out from behind the vine screen and came face to face with Saburo. Her stomach lurched. _He said that he would come get me himself if…_ "What happened?" she asked, trying to keep the panic from edging into her voice.

"He–" he began and then frowned down at her muddy bundle. "What happened to you?" Before she could answer, he shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Come with me."

Vanessa dropped everything she was carrying and hurried to match Saburo's strides. "Please, what happened?" she asked again.

"Something different is happening. I do not know what, but it isn't good." Saburo paused at the foot of the stairs and looked up, as though debating whether or not he wanted to go back in there. Something had really shaken him up. "He _whined…_" he said softly. "Whined like an injured pup. I never thought it possible for my lord to make such a sound. I don't know how much longer he has," he said finally, his voice thick with disbelief.

Vanessa left him where he stood and dashed up the stairs. She went straight through Sesshoumaru's door, not caring who saw or what they thought; she just had to be by his side. _Please don't let it be too late,_ she pleaded to anyone who might be listening. Vanessa burst through his door and was taken aback for a moment by the complete lack of healer presence. Didn't they know? Or was there simply nothing they could do?

The look on Sesshoumaru's face was one of agony. He gritted his teeth, showing her a few of his pearly white fangs, and his face was lined with the strain of whatever it was that he was battling. The sheets covering him were in complete disarray, as though he had been tossing in his sleep – _or writhing in pain_ – and where his hand clutched the fabric, it was torn to shreds.

Then suddenly he stilled, and Vanessa felt her heart soar when his eyelids fluttered, but that only lasted until she heard him sigh. It was not a sigh of contentment, or peace, or even that of deep sleep. It was a sigh of resignation. He was giving up! "No!" Vanessa cried and darted to his side. She took his hand and clutched it to her chest. "No, stay with me! I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. Don't leave me!" But even as she pleaded with him, she could actually see by the rise and fall of his chest that his breath was growing shallower. She didn't have to check his pulse to know that his heart was slowing too. "Please, no," she whispered.

In a move bolder than she would have done if she'd been of a mind to think things through, Vanessa climbed up onto Sesshoumaru's bed and inserted herself between him and the pillows behind him, propping him up so that he leaned back against her in much the same manner as the night he fell. She wrapped her arms around his chest and laced her fingers in his, leaning down so that her cheek touched his. "Sesshoumaru, don't give up. Just hang in there a little longer. Please. If not for me, then do it for Rin. She can't lose you too. You've become like a father to her and she adores you. Don't even try to deny it. You love her like your own, too, don't you? Please don't go. We need you here. I… I need you. Please… please."

"I sent the healers away."

Vanessa jumped at the voice from the doorway and glared defiantly at the intruder, holding Sesshoumaru tighter to her. It was only Saburo and he seemed puzzled. "Why would you do that?" she asked. "They might have been able to do something."

Saburo shook his head. "They've already tried everything in their power… You are the only one who can save him now."

She stared at him. "W-what do you mean?"

"I do not quite understand it, but every single time he had one of these fits… these dreams… you were nowhere around here. He never once had them in your presence. I do not know what caused them or what it was about you that made them go away, but that is the truth of it. You seem to be the only one who can save him."

"Why me?" Vanessa asked barely above a whisper.

"This is only a theory, mind you, but I believe… It is because you love him."

"What!" she yelped then winced at the proximity of Sesshoumaru's ear to her voice. Regardless of whether or not he was conscious to hear it, she felt bad for abusing his sensitive hearing. Nevertheless, Vanessa recovered and stared incredulously at Saburo. "I don't! I mean… I shouldn– I can't!" she cried, covering Sesshoumaru's poor ear with her palm as her voice rose.

"Forgive my boldness, but you do," Saburo continued on steadily. "I can see it. You hide what you feel and you deny it, but it's there."

"I can't," Vanessa repeated helplessly.

Saburo turned to leave. "Do what you feel is right, but I ask you only this. Please stay with him until he awakens."

"How do you know he will? He's fading so quickly…"

"I suggest you check again, and I know he will awaken because… he cares a great deal for you, too. He just doesn't realize it yet."

"What! How can you–" but Saburo was already gone.

Vanessa continued to hold Sesshoumaru, occasionally rocking gently as she puzzled over what he had told her, denying his 'theories.' But when she paused to look, Sesshoumaru's breathing was getting stronger. If by some chance Saburo was right – about her leading him back to wakefulness, that is – she was determined not to leave his side longer than the time it took to use the bathroom, and even then it would have to be an emergency. But what would he say if he did wake up and found himself in this position? She felt a bit uneasy on that account, but figured she'd cross that bridge when she got there. Until then, she was content right where she was. _I can't… I don't love him… do I?_

VvVvVvVvV

Nanashi awoke slowly. The first thing he was aware of was something he could only describe as a lump of warmth nestled against his chest and abdomen. Further inspection proved that it was Tenshi, curled up and sleeping soundly against him. He propped his head up on one fist and draped his other arm protectively over the little girl. How could he have thought of giving up on her, even if he would have died in battle? Strange now that felt so little of what Naraku had left behind, nothing in fact, and he didn't feel quite so weary. Perhaps all he needed was sleep.

Tenshi stirred and twisted under his arm to peer up at him. "Na…nashi," she said around a yawn, "you're awake." She grinned up at him and then snuggled into his chest. Nanashi smiled softly down on her and then smirked unnoticed as he tickled her side, ever careful of his claws. Tenshi squealed and squirmed under his fingers and giggled happily, just as any small child should. After that last encounter with Naraku, Nanashi wondered how long he slept, but didn't want to concern the girl. He was awake now. That's all that mattered.

"You were asleep for so long," she said suddenly, as though reading his thoughts, "then I got sleepy too."

With a jolt, Tenshi sat up. "We should go, Nanashi." She bounced to her feet and then began to impatiently try to pull Nanashi to his feet as well.

"Peace, child. I'm coming," he said with a low chuckle as he too rose to his feet. Her antics never ceased to amuse him.

"Come on!" she cried and began to tug him down to corridor. After a while, he frowned a bit. Tenshi had never been this anxious before, but whenever he would ask her, all she would say was "You have to come. Hurry! We're almost there!"

Nanashi grew anxious as well at that, but for none of the same reasons that had Tenshi so excited. He was finally leaving this labyrinth, not to his own home, but to Tenshi's. What awaited him outside these walls? How would he ever find his way home when he didn't even know who he was?

"Tenshi, stop." The little girl came to a halt and stared up at him expectantly, all the while practically hopping from one foot to the other. "I must know what awaits outside these walls."

"But we have to hurry. We're so close! I don't want to have to go away again before we get there. I don't want you to hurt anymore." Nanashi stared at her, dumbfounded. Naraku always vanished just before Tenshi came into view, but could she have seen him anyway?

"What are you talking about, Tenshi?"

"I know that the bad man comes when I'm not here. He's the one that made you sleep. I don't want him to come again when we're so close, so come on!" she urged him. "Let's go, let's go!"

Nanashi let her drag him along for another step or two before he stooped and scooped her up. "It will be faster this way," he said when she squeaked in surprised. He didn't run, but he let his long strides carry them swiftly through the dark corridors while Tenshi pointed out directions.

Then, as they rounded a bend, Nanashi saw light ahead. He stopped mid-stride and stared, too stunned for words. She did it. Tenshi brought him to an exit. Finally Tenshi's insistent tapping on his chest shook him back to reality and he began walking again.

They arrived at the narrow gate far sooner than Nanashi had expected and came to a stop. He set Tenshi down and stared at it. How long had he been wandering, fighting with Naraku and now was it finally at an end? "What lies beyond this gate, Tenshi?" he asked softly, afraid to shatter this new ray of hope.

"Home," the girl said simply.

"And what is your home like?"

"Not my home."

Nanashi tore his eyes away from the rectangle of light that would lead him out and stared at Tenshi. "What do you mean 'not your home'? You said you wanted me to go home with you."

"I did, but I never said we were going to my home." She giggled. "_Your_ home is on the other side of that gate."

"My… home?" He turned back to the gate. Could it be? All this time she had been leading him exactly where he wanted to go.

"I don't remember anything. How can I go back?" Nanashi was suddenly uncertain. He wanted desperately to go home, but what was home?

"It will all come back to you on the other side."

"Well," he said, steeling himself to face the unknown, "come on then. Let's go home." He held his hand out to Tenshi, but she shook her head and took a step back.

"I wanted you to come with me and you did. Now you're home. I can't go with you through that gate."

Nanashi knelt in front of her. "Why ever not, little one?"

"Because that isn't my home. I have no place there." Tenshi reached out and wrapped her arms around Nanashi's neck, laying her head on his shoulder. "I love you, Nanashi. Don't forget about me?"

"I couldn't," he assured her and wondered why it had to be this way.

Finally Tenshi pulled back and laid her small hand on Nanashi's cheek. Images coursed through his mind, all of them containing violet eyes and spun-gold curls, the ones he had seen before, the ones that weren't Tenshi's. "Don't be sad, Nanashi. I'll always be right here." She dropped her hand, taking the images with it, and lightly poked him in the chest, right over his heart.

"You will."

"I have to go now, Nanashi. I have to go for good. Don't wait too long to go through the gate." As she spoke and before his eyes, Tenshi began to dissolve, drifting away in a glittering stream like powdered glass. Nanashi stood with the gate directly at his back and saw a dark figure standing not a pace behind where Tenshi had been. He smirked at Naraku. "You should have killed me when you had the chance." And with that, Nanashi took one step back through the gate and into the light, and fell, with nothing but Naraku's curses to send him on his way.

A/N: That's it for now. I've got some bits and pieces written out for the next chapter, but I can guarantee it'll be longer than 3 or 4 days, whatever it is, before I post Ch. 17. Consider this a treat for being absolutely fabulous readers/reviewers. I really appreciate all of your feedback, even if I don't always respond to you.


	17. Recovery

Into the East

Chapter seventeen: Recovery

Posted: 29 September 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

Light teased Sesshoumaru's eyes behind his closed lids. It seemed too bright, brighter than anything he had seen in a long time. Something was wrong. In this time between sleep and wakefulness, something felt off. As his mind struggled to the surface of the deep abyss of unconsciousness, Sesshoumaru's senses began to send him information. First and foremost was a scent, one that he had come to know very well. That little bit made him smile softly, muscles resisting a bit against the unaccustomed movement. He thought that scent had been lost forever.

_Tenshi…_ his yet unconscious mind offered, but then that brief smile slipped away. _No… Tenshi is gone – I saw her disappear. So who…?_ The conflict brought the rest of him to the surface. He remained still where he lay and waited, wary of not knowing where he was or who was with him, for there was someone there – and very near by the sound of their breathing. Sesshoumaru listened for a moment and noted that the breathing was deep and even. Whoever it was, they were asleep.

There was still that scent. He knew it, of that he was certain, but then his last moments with Tenshi came to mind. The images played through his mind again, and suddenly everything came flooding back: The forest, late night talks, dancing, Mitsue… the ambush in the palace courtyard… Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped open. _Vanessa!_ Immediately he regretted the action as the late afternoon light streaming in through the sheer window coverings nearly blinded him. He let his lids slide closed again.

_Vanessa… What has become of her? _What had become of him, for that matter? He remembered Mitsue striking out at him while he was distracted, but she left little more than a flesh wound. He couldn't even feel it now, but that wasn't necessarily a testament to his health. Vanessa was safe. He had seen to that before dealing with Mitsue, but then the details grew foggy. Vanessa was there again, right beside him. He looked up into her face. _Looked up?_ That didn't make sense, why should he be looking up at her? Unless…

Sesshoumaru remembered. Vanessa… wept… for him. While he lay on her lap unable to move, and she cried. And she held him, begged him to awaken and he couldn't. No one had ever wept for him before. He remembered the feel of her tears striking his face. There had been nothing more he could do. If more hostile youkai came, he couldn't have possibly protected her. _'My someone to protect…'_ he had thought before blackness took him. _I couldn't protect you. _Even if she had survived, he failed her. He vowed to keep her safe and he couldn't.

He sighed and felt the mattress shift beneath him. _Odd,_ he thought, but then all was still again. How could he face _her_ now? Was she even there to face? He had to know that she was well. Prepared this time, Sesshoumaru slowly opened his eyes again. He tried raising his hand to shield them, but he couldn't move it. It was trapped. In fact… he couldn't seem to move at all and felt something heavy across his chest. Frowning, the taiyoukai turned his eyes downward. Who dared restrain him?

Everything was hazy and he found it difficult to focus, but as he concentrated, vague colors and shapes became clearer. The blue band that crossed his chest solidified and became a silk-covered… _arm!_ He slid his eyes to the right and then to the left, but what he saw made him freeze, barely able to breathe. A _hand_ held his, small and delicate and… feminine. Fingers laced through his where she held his hand across his chest to the opposite shoulder. _Vanessa?_ Her scent was everywhere, all around him, and as he struggled through his shock, that hand tightened on his briefly, her arm drawing him just a little closer.

She sighed in her sleep, a soft puff of air passing his ear and Sesshoumaru thought his heart would stop when he realized his position. How long had she been there? How long had _he_ been there? Some of it was fading, but he remembered a dark tunnel, and Tenshi… and Naraku. A soft growl scratched its way through his throat at the thought of the hanyou, but when he felt Vanessa shift behind him again, he cut it off sharply. He hadn't moved so much as a finger since waking, and he didn't want some careless sound to alert her just yet – he wanted to decide what to do about her first. He felt… guilty… for failing her. It was an odd feeling, and one he wasn't used to having.

He should never have allowed her to get so close to him. He should never have allowed himself care for her so greatly. Things had to be different between them. She would only be used again if they continued on as they were. But could he change how he felt? What did he feel? He wanted her there, needed her there – more than he realized if she was his link to Tenshi.

Weariness overcame Sesshoumaru full-force and he welcomed the return of sleep. Remaining awake left nothing for him but thought, and at the moment, thinking was giving him a headache. He closed his eyes once more, vaguely wary of returning to that dark place, but an overwhelming sense of contentment settled over him. He was so tired, and it did feel good to be wrapped in a warm embrace – even if it couldn't last…

Some time later, Sesshoumaru awoke again. As before, he drifted slowly to the surface of consciousness and when he got there, he let his senses tell him what was important before opening his eyes. The first change he noted, with mild disappointment, was that he no longer rested against Vanessa. _It is for the best,_ he told himself, squashing down the unwanted feeling. It made him feel slightly better to find that she was still in the room – her presence was strangely comforting. _This must end._

He opened his eyes – much easier this time, as it appeared to be full night with only a lamp to shed light on the room. Sesshoumaru stared at the ceiling for a moment and then turned his eyes down toward the source of light: one small lamp on a stand by the door. He scanned the corners of the room as best he could while lying on his back, propped up only slightly by a pillow. There was no one there, except… His eyes darted to the right. There at his side, with her head pillowed on her arms was Vanessa. He felt an uncontrollable urge to touch her – just to see if she was real.

Slowly, and with unbelievable difficulty, Sesshoumaru lifted his hand and ran a claw through her curls and then let it drop back to the mattress. _Now that _that_ is out of my system…_ His limbs felt so heavy. He felt so… weak. Still, he had to try. Fully intending on sitting up under his own power, Sesshoumaru lifted his head off the pillow, but only managed a few inches before the room began to spin painfully, bringing with it waves of nausea. With a groan he dropped back and tried to cover his eyes with his hand, but he couldn't seem to find the strength for even that small task. With his eyes squeezed shut in an effort to calm the churning in his already empty stomach, he felt the futon shift beside him. Cautiously opening his eyes, he saw Vanessa stir and raise her head, blinking her bleary eyes.

She stared at him for a long moment, as if trying to discern reality from dream. "You're awake…?" Then she gasped. "You're awake! Do you need anything? I should go get the healers. Oh, Sesshoumaru, I was so worried!" He was a little surprised that she didn't throw herself on him. Would he have minded?

_How long has she been waiting… worrying?_ Sesshoumaru wondered to himself and then silently turned his face away. _This must end_, he repeated in his mind, but he could _feel_ her concern, her worry, her fear. He could almost feel her eyes boring into the side of his head. _Look away…_ he begged her silently. He hated feeling so weak and her concern for him only made it worse. _I don't want you to see me this way._ Sesshoumaru ignored the part of his brain that was reasoning that she had already seen him 'this way' and worse. He willed the woman to just go away. Perhaps if he remained silent long enough, she would think that he had fallen asleep again.

"S-Sesshoumaru?" The tremor in her voice was unmistakable: he was causing her to worry again. _It would be for the best… Let her think I care nothing for her concern… After all, if she had never come here…_ but he couldn't even force his mind to complete that thought. It wasn't fair to her. It was he that had invited her to stay with him, but it had put her in danger despite his efforts to prevent it.

"Leave me," Sesshoumaru said finally, his voice rough with disuse. He had to push her away; it was the only way to keep her safe. He closed his eyes and waited.

"Sesshoumaru… I…"

"Go," he whispered hoarsly. Never before had he ordered her from his presence, and he hated to do so now, especially after… everything, but he had to. _This must end._ No good would come of continuing to show his favor of her. He heard her breath hitch and winced, unseen by her, when he smelled the tears that threatened to spill. She never let them fall – she was trying to be strong.

"…Okay," she said softly; it sounded strained, choked. He heard her rise to her feet and flee to her room, closing every door that separated them. Only then did Sesshoumaru open his eyes and turn his head to stare at the ceiling.

_Fool,_ he berated himself, _she is your dearest and only friend._ But he could not let her be used again. Despite his efforts to hide it, apparently his attachment to her as more than Rin's caretaker had been obvious. She was a weakness and one he could not afford to have. Sesshoumaru's current state of health was proof enough of that. _No,_ he told himself. _She is a strength. Without her, you would still be wandering those dark passages._

This internal debate was starting to get on his nerves, but all thoughts of his own confusion and denial were shattered when a choked sob reached his ears from down the hall. He winced. Vanessa had not shed a tear since their first days together, and those were tears of frustration, but these… These were tears of hurt, and Sesshoumaru knew that he was entirely to blame. Several more such sounds came and then they grew muffled, probably by her pillow or the thick blankets on her futon.

She was trying so hard to hide it, trying so hard to be strong, but Sesshoumaru could hear every choked-off, muffled sob as though she had never left the room. And each one tore at his heart. He kept telling himself that it was better this way. She would hurt at first, but later she would be safe. She would be safer if no one, not even she, knew that he valued her and trusted her above all others. Then suddenly, there was silence. Sesshoumaru lay still and listened. Had she cried herself out and fallen asleep?

No. His keen ears soon picked up the sounds of cabinet doors opening and items being moved about hastily. _What is she doing?_ It almost sounded as though she were… packing. A tingle of fear shivered up Sesshoumaru's spine. _She couldn't… she wouldn't… would she?_ She was in no way prepared to travel alone, not in this era. Rarely could a woman protect herself to the extent that they required no guardian or escort, and she still knew so little about the dangers of youkai. _What is she thinking?_ The sounds stopped suddenly and Sesshoumaru strained to hear anything that might give him a clue as to what she meant to do.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru… Good-bye." It was a whisper; he wasn't meant to hear, but he did. Something clenched painfully in his chest. He hadn't wanted her to _leave_, just… leave… Then it happened. For the first time since they left old Kaede's village, their link was broken. Sesshoumaru could no longer feel her presence in the back of his mind. Just when had he grown so comfortable with her that he now felt lost without her in his head? _What have I done?_

A second attempt to sit up produced another wave of dizziness and nausea, but Sesshoumaru fought it. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, waiting for the feeling to pass. He had never been ill a day in his life and he fervently hoped never to feel this way again. When it had abated enough that he thought he could continue, he slid his feet to the floor. His limbs still felt leaden, but he had to do… something. If she wanted to go, fine, but he couldn't have her leave without saying good-bye. Rin would never forgive him. _He_ would never forgive _himself._

Sesshoumaru rose shakily to his feet and nearly fell into the wall before he caught himself. _What sort of poison was that?_ Whatever Mitsue had used on him, he was clearly still feeling the effects of it. With one hand on the wall for support, he half-stumbled to Vanessa's bedroom. He paused outside the door, breathing hard and cursing the weakness of his body. He entered the room with his eyes on the floor; it was all he could do simply to put one foot in front of the other, and as he looked up, it felt as though that very floor had fallen out from under him. She was gone, unneeded items scattered recklessly throughout the room. She even left behind the ribbon that connected her to him.

He quickly snatched up the simple bracelet and spun back to the door, bracing himself against the sudden dizziness. How could he hope to find her in time when he could hardly make it three rooms down the hall without stumbling? Still, he had to try. Where would she go? There was only one way out, and so Sesshoumaru immediately set off for the gates.

What would Vanessa do after she left the gates? She couldn't hope to find Kaede on her own and she really had no other place to go. The thought of failing to keep her safe again only spurred him on faster. It was the sheer force of his will that allowed Sesshoumaru to trudge agonizingly slowly through the grounds. When had this palace gotten so big? Each time he stumbled, he felt her slipping farther and farther away from him. He couldn't bear it, but it was all his own doing.

Sesshoumaru had just made it across the first courtyard and was entering the main building when the sky chose to open up. Lightning flashed, illuminating the empty courtyard and he snarled at the offending downpour. Everything seemed to be against him: his body, the night, the weather… Time was even against him. Any hope he may have had of tracking her by scent would now be gone in a matter of hours. It seemed ages before he finally reached the front entry. Was it too much to hope that she would change her mind?

Feeling weaker than a human child, Sesshoumaru finally reached the stairs leading down to the gate path. His knees almost buckled when he came to a halt, and he had to lean against a pillar to remain upright while he stared disbelieving down into the yard below. There she was. He made it in time – Vanessa hadn't left yet. Never before had Sesshoumaru felt so relieved over anything in his life. All he could do was continue to stare down at her.

Vanessa stood with her back to him, her head bowed against the rain. Her clothing was already soaked through – she wore the shirt and pants that Kagome had given her in the beginning and not any of the kimono that he had supplied her. It stung somehow that she seemed to want nothing with his imprint on it. _Do not leave,_ he beseeched her silently.

Sesshoumaru didn't think he had the strength to go any further and didn't trust himself on the stairs… he wasn't entirely sure how he made it down the two flights from his room without falling, so he waited, hoping. He watched Vanessa straighten suddenly, as though making up her mind, and slowly she turned over her shoulder for one last look at her temporary home. Then she froze, her eyes widening in surprise. She saw him. Sesshoumaru saw her face contort in concern for him, but she bit her lip and blinked the rain – at least he hoped it was rain – from her eyes.

"I'm leaving," she called up to him, and he was amazed. It was the first time he had her speak in Japanese. He shouldn't have been; after all, he was the only one who could understand her effortlessly and now she seemed to be able to converse freely with almost everyone. At least he had been… he gripped the ribbon a little tighter in his fist. Perhaps she could get by on her own – as long as she could avoid being attacked. "I can't stay here," she went on. "I don't… don't want to cause you any more trouble… I'm so sorry you were hurt… because of me." She began to turn away again. _Is that what she thinks? That I… blame her? Never._ Though he had to admit that he hadn't done a very good job of convincing her otherwise.

"Do what you wish," he told her. "I will not stop you." Sesshoumaru watched, hoping against hope that she didn't really want to leave.

Vanessa spun on him and took a few steps toward the staircase. "Do what I wish." She stared at him incredulously, then her eyes flashed. "Do what I wish!" she cried out, the tears threatening to spill belying the anger in her voice. "All I've wanted this entire time was your trust – to be your friend, but you cast me aside so easily. I… I…" Her tears finally fell and her breath came in hiccups. "I was so worried, Sesshoumaru. About you. This whole time, you were all I could think about. I thought you were going to… to…" she couldn't finish and buried her face in her hands. "And you don't care about any of that," came her muffled voice.

Sesshoumaru could see her shoulders shaking even through the rain. _She truly was worried. About me._ He suddenly felt the undeniable need to go to her, to comfort her. He released the doorframe and slowly descended the stairs with all the dignity he could manage while tightly gripping the handrail.

The journey seemed to take forever, but finally Sesshoumaru found himself standing at the foot of the stairs, just before Vanessa. She didn't even seem to notice his presence until he gently removed her hands from her face. She jumped at the contact, but still wouldn't look at him. He didn't like it; he wanted to look her in the eye when he said what he had to say. Sesshoumaru hooked a clawed finger under her chin and gently turned her face up to meet his gaze. "I'm so sorry!" Vanessa said before he could even begin, "I should never have come here. If I hadn't been here –"

"Naraku would have won," he said softly.

"I – what?" she looked up at him, puzzled. He knew she understood what he said, but just to make everything clear Sesshoumaru took her left hand and slipped the ribbon onto her wrist into its rightful place.

"You… saved me."

"I did?" He nodded, cupping her cheek with his hand and wiping the remainder of her tears away with his thumb. The rain continued to pour as he looked down on Vanessa. Fat drops splashed off her cheeks and turned into tiny jewels that clung to her eyelashes.

"I have behaved poorly," Sesshoumaru said finally, dropping his eyes from hers. "I was ashamed that you should see me so weakened, but I do not blame you for what has happened. Never think so." His traitorous body chose that moment to give out and he sagged with a groan.

"Sesshoumaru!" Vanessa cried as she wrapped her arms around his chest, trying to slow his fall. "You shouldn't even be out of bed!" Sesshoumaru dropped to one knee and met her frantic violet eyes with a steady gaze of his own as she knelt before him, hands on his shoulders. "You are not weak," she said. "You are the strongest person I have ever met – you pulled through when everyone thought you would never wake up."

"Are you still leaving?" he asked – he had to know. "I have sworn, if to no one other than myself, to keep you safe. If you leave those gates," he said and nodded past her, "so will I. I will not fail again."

"You haven't failed me, Sesshoumaru. You came when I needed you and that's all I could have asked for. You were hurt because of me – how could you think that _you_ failed _me_? If anything, it should be the other way around. And… I couldn't do it. I couldn't leave."

"What stopped you?"

"When I saw you standing up there, I thought you might have come to make sure I was gone. I would have left if you asked me to, but before that I was remembering something that a… a visitor told me. It was just before the healers brought you to your room."

"A visitor." He remembered that it was already well into the night when he fought with Mitsue, so who would have visited Vanessa at that hour? And where? She should have gone straight to her chambers after he was taken away.

"Yes, a visitor. He gave me some advice… Sesshoumaru, you're soaked through! I'll tell you everything if you let me help you back to your room. Do you think you can walk that far again?" Sesshoumaru turned his face away from her once more. How had he allowed himself to be brought so low as to require the aid of a mere human woman to do something as simple as walk to his own bedchamber? And yet… she was not just any human…

"Hey…" Vanessa said softly, turning his face back to her with a small hand that was warm despite the rain. "Don't do that. It's just me." he looked into her eyes and found them searching, waiting for him to push her away again, and he just couldn't – couldn't tell her to leave, couldn't ask her to stay, couldn't voice his need for help, couldn't look away… So he nodded.

Vanessa bit her lip and looked away for a second before meeting Sesshoumaru's eyes once more. "One more thing," she said softly, and suddenly she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into her embrace. He froze. _What is she doing?_ When her mouth was near his ear, she spoke – little more than a whisper, "I'm glad you're back… I was so afraid I had lost you."

_She isn't angry? She isn't upset that I was so ungrateful after she spent Kami only knew how long worrying?_ He didn't deserve her concern right then… He had gone to her rescue and then as much as made her believe that he was throwing it back in her face. How long had she been worrying? How long had she been blaming herself? His mouth felt suddenly dry, but he had to know, "How long...?" Sesshoumaru remembered it seemed ages that he wandered the dark tunnels with Tenshi, but there was no real sense of time there.

Vanessa pulled away and held his shoulders at arms' length. "You fell unconscious almost three weeks ago." _Three weeks? Three weeks and my body has not yet healed itself? _Tears began to glitter in her eyes again. "Saburo said that the healers cleaned the wound and that it was no concern, but they couldn't get the poison out of your system. He said that it must have paralyzed you and taken over your mind. Most of the time you just lay so still... but sometimes I would come back and they would tell me that you were having some sort of dream that made you toss fitfully in your sleep. I knew something was going on inside, but I had no idea what to do. All I could do was watch and wait. The last one was the worst," she said softly. "I thought you were giving up." _Tenshi had to 'go places'... and that's when... Naraku... would come._

"Come inside," Sesshoumaru said suddenly, "and tell me about this 'visitor' you spoke of." He rose to his feet and swayed slightly at the sudden change in altitude. Immediately, Vanessa was at his side with her arm around his waist. "What are you doing?" he asked her

"I'm helping you inside."

"I do not need your help." She was taller than most women in his land, the top of her head just reaching above his shoulder, but she seemed so small and frail, nestled into his side like that. It should be he helping her inside, not the other way around.

"Yes you do, and you know it. Besides, if it makes you feel any better, I've already seen you in worse shape than this," she said, grinning up at him.

Sesshoumaru returned her grin with a scowl. "It does not." Then she giggled, her laughter music to his ears after the pain-filled crying that he had caused and he warmed just a little inside. _So easily she forgives…_

"Come on, you can trust me not to let you fall." She made a show of looking around, searching for something, then leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, "I won't tell anyone that you needed the help of a human, and a female at that." She knew him all too well.

"No. You will not," he agreed, smiling inwardly and allowing himself to lean just a little on her slight frame.

VvVvVvVvV

By the time they made it back, Vanessa could tell that Sesshoumaru was exhausted. At the foot of the stairs that led up to their rooms, he stopped and gently pried her away from him. She could only watch as he moved to the side and gripped the banister. _Of course… if that one arm is around me, then he can't catch himself._ Sesshoumaru set one foot on the first step, set his jaw and began to ascend. Vanessa stayed a step below him the entire way… just in case, but he didn't fall. He did pause several times, as though to catch his breath, but always continued on. When he finally reached the top, he leaned back against the wall and looked for all the world as if he wanted slide down to the floor and fall asleep right there, but Vanessa touched his elbow and he nodded, allowing her to help him to his room.

Once there, Vanessa, pulled out a set of dry clothes and told him to change. She didn't miss the raised eyebrow as she moved about his bedroom as if she owned the place, but she ignored it and went to her own room to change and dry her hair a bit. She sat on her bed while waiting what she hoped was an appropriate length of time for Sesshoumaru to get dressed and thought about everything that had happened in the past few hours. Sesshoumaru woke up. Sesshoumaru _woke up!_

She had been so happy to see those beautiful golden eyes that she was stunned at his silence and then his _coldness._ It made her think that he blamed her for his being hurt, more than she already blamed herself. Her breath caught for a moment. What if he had awoken when she sat with her arms around him? It had been too much – to have been waiting for him, wanting desperately for him to wake up and then to be cast aside without a care. She just couldn't stay after that. It was probably a rash decision, but if he didn't want her there, then she wouldn't be there. Vanessa had packed up everything she owned, careful not to take anything that would tie her to Sesshoumaru. She even left behind the ribbon that bound her to him, though if she had thought about it, if she had not wanted to give him a chance to follow, she would have waited until she was past the gates and burned the thing. But she didn't want to believe that he cared nothing for her so she left it for him.

Then when she reached the gate, his father's words came back to her: _He will try to distance himself from you… Don't give up on him… Let him know you care…_ That's what he was doing wasn't it? He was pushing her away, not because he wanted to but because he felt he had to? She had been torn between running and going back when she looked back once more and found Sesshoumaru standing at the top of the stairs. He looked like he was barely keeping his feet under him, and he came… came to see her off? Or came to bring her back? But then he came down to meet her, and the way he spoke to her… the way he looked at her… She shook her head. _No._

It was past time for her to go back to him so she quickly crossed the rooms dividing them. A light knock on his door announced her presence before she slid the panel open and entered. "You rummage through my clothes and yet you still knock before entering," Sesshoumaru said. He was seated on the edge of his bed, leaning on the elbow resting on his knee, and his head was bowed wearily. He didn't look up even as he spoke, and his long hair still dripped on the floor at his feet.

Vanessa shook her head and grabbed a towel. It was only when she set about drying his hair that he looked up at her – and fixed her with a glare. She glared right back. "I'm not letting you go to bed with your hair soaking wet," she told him. He sighed and motioned for her to proceed. When she finished, she wistfully ran her fingers through his hair a few times, noting a few tangles, and thought about asking him if she could comb it, too, but decided not to push her luck. However, Sesshoumaru glanced up at her and then reached over to the nightstand for his comb, which he then offered to her. She couldn't hide her grin. "Really?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "You tangled it, therefore you ought to be the one to untangle it."

Vanessa happily set about her task. As much as she had wanted to, she could never bring herself to comb his hair while he slept. She started at the ends, gently working out the tangles, and by the time she reached his crown, sweeping long strokes through his hair, Sesshoumaru's eyes were heavy-lidded and his head drooped. She thought she heard a soft contented rumble in his chest, but decided not to comment on it. This time.

She replaced the comb on the table and gently squeezed Sesshoumaru's shoulder, causing him to jerk to full wakefulness. "You're tired," Vanessa said. He wiped a hand down his face, but said nothing. "Alright then, up." He stared at her. "Up. Stand up," she told him, motioning with her hands to make it perfectly clear what she wanted. Sesshoumaru complied, but watched her warily as though she had taken a temporary leave of her senses. All she wanted to do was straighten the bedcovers and pull the sheets back down for him to get in. "Okay, you're all set," she said setting a pillow in place.

"Another pillow."

"Hm?"

"I would prefer to sit up."

"Oh. Okay." Vanessa piled up the pillows, just as Sesshoumaru asked and then stepped aside, allowing him to get into bed. When he did, Vanessa set about tucking the blankets around him, trying not to smile as he grumbled at her. There was no way he would have let her if he could stand without getting dizzy.

"I am not a child that needs to be tucked in at night," he ground out.

"Maybe not, but you're hardly in any position to complain right now, are you? Let someone take care of you. I'm guessing it doesn't happen often, so humor me, okay? In the morning healers are going to be swarming all over the place, so you may as well enjoy the peace you have now. Saburo will probably have my head for not telling him right away that you were awake," she said as she settled down on her pile of cushions.

"I do not wish to see anyone," Sesshoumaru said softly. Vanessa wanted to take his hand comfort him, do something, but she didn't think it would be helpful at the moment, so she wrapped her arms around her knees.

"I can try to keep people out if you want… I don't know how much good it will do."

"No," he sighed, "Let them come, but… find Saburo first, if you would."

Sesshoumaru leaned back against the pillows and closed his eyes. He looked like he was falling asleep again so Vanessa got up to go back to her room. She hadn't taken more than a step when something latched onto her wrist. She spun around and found Sesshoumaru staring at her with a strange expression on his face. "I should let you get some sleep," she said. He snorted and released her.

"The way I understand it, I have been sleeping for three weeks. You still haven't told me about this visitor you had."

_He doesn't want to go back to sleep…_ "I'll tell you, but you really should get some sleep." Vanessa sat again and looked up at him. "It was just after the healers took you away. I was in the sitting room on my side waiting for Saburo to come an let me know that they were bringing you back. I think I had fallen asleep and then I heard a man's voice coming from my bedroom."

Sesshoumaru sat up abruptly, which only resulted in getting him dizzy. He clutched his head, and when it passed, he looked over at Vanessa, his eyes flashing. "There was a _man_ in your _bedroom_? In the middle of the night? Who was he?"

Vanessa moved up to sit on the edge of the bed and gently pushed him back into the pillows. "Sesshoumaru, you're going to make yourself sick. I was getting to that point. Will you let me finish now?"

He still wore a frown, but he nodded. "As I was saying," Vanessa went on. "A man's voice called to me from my room so I went to see who it was – and before you say anything," she interrupted herself. "I know. It probably wasn't a good idea, but it turned out all right in the end. I walked in and there was someone sitting on my bed. It was the strangest thing. He was glowing, solid but sort of ghostly at the same time – if that makes any sense. Sesshoumaru, it was your father."

She waited a moment to gauge his reaction. His eyes widened a bit in surprise, but he said nothing. "He said… that it wasn't my fault, and that you are strong and stubborn."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "He would say that."

Vanessa smiled. "He said that you would make it, but you needed my help to lead you home. I don't know what he meant by that–"

"I do."

"What?"

"When I was… asleep… I was in some sort of labyrinth. I had to find my way through, but I had no memory of who I was or why I was there. I came across a little girl early on, and she didn't have a name so I called her Tenshi. She wanted me to come home with her so I followed. There was nowhere else that I knew I had to be. Now I know that she had something to do with you. I think the times that you left this room, so did she, and that's when… that isn't important. What is important is that she led me to the exit. _You_ led me out of there."

"I never knew…" she whispered.

"What was it that he said that made you change your mind about leaving?"

"Oh, right… He said that you would try to push me away, that you would say this was only proof that attachments make you weak. But he also said that I shouldn't give up on you."

"So you were coming back when I found you?"

"No… I still wasn't sure what I was going to do."

"What would you have done if you left?"

"I guess I would have tried to find Kaede's village… somehow, and then wait for Kagome. At least then she would be able to get some kind of message to my family."

Vanessa hadn't thought of going home since before Sesshoumaru fell. It was strange, even after so short a time, to think of anywhere else than this palace as her home, but she still had ties in the future. Those could not be forgotten.

Silence fell over the pair and soon Sesshoumaru's eyes were drifting closed again so Vanessa stood to leave, but was halted in her tracks by his whispered request. "Stay," he said so softly that she couldn't tell if he was truly awake. She sat again on the floor and pillowed her head on her arms, looking up at him until her own eyelids grew too heavy to keep open.

She awoke much later to something insistently tapping her hand. When she opened her eyes, it was still fairly dark, but not the dark of night. She frowned at the weak morning light that was filtering through the still-present storm clouds. Then she realized whose window she was looking out of _and_ that the tapping had stopped. Vanessa glanced up and a fully awake Sesshoumaru brought a finger to his lips in a silent 'hushing' gesture then closed his eyes and dropped his hand back to his side. She stared at time with no small amount of puzzlement. _He's lost his mind. _She was about toask him if he was sure everything was alright, but no sooner had his hand returned to his side than the morning healer came strolling through the door. Vanessa jumped back from the bedside and stared incredulously down at Sesshoumaru while the healer prepared for her morning check. "Still no change, dear?"

Vanessa glanced from the healer down to Sesshoumaru and back. "What? Oh… no. No change." _Why you little cheat! You better have a good excuse, and don't think I'll make a habit of lying for you. You can't hide in here forever! …I have to get out of here before she asks me anything else._ She started for the door, hoping to escape and wishing that the healer would hurry up and finish so she could tell Sesshoumaru exactly what was on her mind. _Almost there,_ she thought as she reached the doorway, but froze when she heard the healer's voice behind her. She couldn't be rude, after all.

"Very well. Be sure to get some rest. I think you have stayed up with Sesshoumaru-sama even more than little Rin has," the motherly female said as she went about her tasks.

Today_ she decides to be chatty. _"Yes. You're probably right. I think I'll go lay down for a bit right now –"

"Mind you, any of us would gladly sit with him," the youkai continued, seemingly oblivious to Vanessa's attempted escape, "but we have other duties too and he would have to be moved down to the healers' ward. With you here watching over him, he can stay in the comfort of his own bed. He is certainly lucky to have found you."

"Yes. He is," Vanessa said a little more forcefully than she intended. _Did you hear that? You're lucky I'm not more honest… That didn't come out right._ The healer looked at her as though wanting to feel her forehead for a fever, but only shook her head.

"Remember to take care of yourself too, dear. You'll come for us right away if anything changes?"

_If anything changes from his current state of living?_ "Y-yes, right away."

"Good," the healer said with a smile. "Good day, then."

Vanessa left to wait in her room so she could avoid any more awkward questions. When she heard the door click shut, signaling the healer's departure, she waited almost a full minute before stalking to Sesshoumaru's side. "Mind telling me why you thought I should cover for your little charade?" she hissed.

He cracked an eye open. "You could have left. I only asked you not to say anything."

"Oh! You! I tried to leave. You didn't exactly give me a lot of time to beat a hasty retreat."

"You were sleeping. The healer did say that you should get some rest."

"I can't believe you just lied to your staff. They've been doing everything they could to make sure you didn't die."

"I _did_ say last night that I wished to speak with Saburo first. You were still sleeping and I couldn't very well go to him myself without causing a scene."

"You would be one to fake sick just to get out of a math exam, wouldn't you?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Never mind. I'm going to go get something to eat. On my way back, I'll stop by and see Saburo. Is that okay with you?"

He nodded.

"Is there anything else I should know? Like maybe I shouldn't tell him because you want to surprise him?" She'd meant it to be sarcastic, but…

"Now that you mention it…"

"Seriously?"

He nodded again.

"You're twisted."

"You suggested it."

"I wasn't serious! Fine, I'll bring him, but it's on your head." Vanessa stood and walked to her room, muttering, "Good grief, he _is_ only playful in the morning."

"I heard that," Sesshoumaru said with a smirk, which only gave Vanessa a very strong urge to stick her tongue out at him, but she refrained. One of them had to be mature in this… whatever it was that they shared. Still… she couldn't keep her heart from soaring at the thought that he seemed to be doing better, nor could she keep the smile off her face.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru watched Vanessa shake her head and disappear out the door. He wasn't quite sure what had come over him himself; he just knew that since waking again earlier that morning – despite still feeling as though he had been run over by a heard of cattle, a herd of raging youkai bulls more like, he felt… well, he wasn't certain how to explain how he felt. It was odd.

When he awoke, the first thing he noticed was that Vanessa was still there. For a moment he thought that the previous night might have been a dream, that he hadn't actually escaped from the prison of his mind, but then he saw the pile of his clothing in the corner, still damp from the rain. _She stayed… but why?_ He remembered her getting up to leave, but he stopped her. Then they talked, but the longer it went on, the more vague his memory became. _Must have fallen asleep,_ he reasoned.

Perhaps it was the memory of Tenshi and Vanessa's apparent connection to her, or perhaps he was finally accepting that someone might actually care about him without hidden motives, but it was strangely comforting to find Vanessa waiting for him. It was hard for him to believe that she had spent three weeks, very likely in the same position she was in now, waiting for him to awaken. He wondered how many sleepless nights she had spent in her worry over him and couldn't bring himself to rouse her. It needed to be done though. Sesshoumaru was serious the previous night when he had said that he didn't want to see anyone until he had a chance to speak with Saburo, and stumbling down the hall to meet him simply wouldn't do. He waited until the last possible moment, when he heard someone approach and smelled the telltale odors of herbs and medicines that surrounded most healers wafting down the hall, before trying to silently wake her by tapping a finger on her hand.

Now as he watched her go, Sesshoumaru felt almost relieved that Vanessa had scolded him. Almost. She had shown so much concern, so much worry for his sake last night that he thought she might treat him as an invalid now. But she didn't. She was concerned, yes; he could _feel_ it, could see it in her eyes when she looked at him, but there was no pity. If there was one thing Sesshoumaru couldn't stand, it was pity directed at him. It was that thought that kept him away from the palace after losing his arm and while recovering from Inuyasha's Wind Scar attack. He was perfectly capable of healing himself without a palace full of followers hovering over his every move. This was why he hadn't wanted that healer to know he'd awoken.

With Saburo behind him, and Sesshoumaru was almost certain that he would be, together they could keep the often-overzealous healers at bay. There was always Vanessa too, if by some chance anything went wrong and there was no hovering healer. She was trained as a healer, more than a healer by the standards of the current age, so she should be more than enough until the youkai healers arrived. That is, if they were ever needed – and he was quite certain that they wouldn't be. He would see to it that he wouldn't need them. Besides, she didn't tread on eggshells when she spoke to him, afraid that he might break. In fact, the way she spoke to him, it was as though he had never been injured at all. She was even perhaps a bit bolder than before. Though, he supposed he did deserve that; he was acting a bit childish. However, none but he ever needed to know that little bit of information.

Sesshoumaru remained in bed for a time while waiting for Vanessa to return with Saburo, but it wasn't long before restlessness set in and he began to feel useless. It was one thing to sit and think or meditate or even relax, simply because he wanted to, but it was something else entirely to be forced to bed because his body physically could not do everything that he wanted it to. Yet. He had to do _something_. It was about then that he decided that his first encounter with his chief advisor would not be made from his bed, or his bedroom for that matter.

Sitting up carefully, Sesshoumaru closing his eyes against the wave of dizziness that was actually slightly less than it had been the first time and waited for it to subside. Then he slid his feet to the floor and hauled himself upright. He was prepared this time and reached out for the wall to steady himself before ever losing his footing. A resigned sigh escaped him and he wondered how much longer he was going to have to feel this way.

He made his way to his wardrobe and put on something more presentable than bedclothes: Hakama and haori very similar to his customary white attire, but a deep blue with silver leaf patterns at the collar and on the sleeves. The hakama bunched at his ankles, but rather than wear boots, he slid his bare feet into a pair of soft slippers. Finally, he threw the familiar weight of his furry pelt over his shoulder. Everything seemed to be as it should be. Almost.

_Three weeks…_ Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he moved into his sitting room. Three weeks was nothing but a blink of an eye when compared to the long, near immortal life he would live, but in the moment, those three short weeks seemed an exceedingly long time. He spared a passing glance to the seats and cushions in the room, but decided that if he were to sit, he probably wouldn't be able to get back up again when Saburo came. Already the heavy weight of weariness was settling over him, causing him to growl low in his throat at the thought of being forced back to bed. It was beyond him how he had made it to the gates and back without collapsing. Instead, he opted to go to the window and watch the rain falling outside. He rolled up the window covering and leaned casually against the wall, though it was more to reserve energy spent on keeping his balance than anything else.

If he still had both of his arms, Sesshoumaru might have crossed them over his chest as he watched the rain dropping into puddles and spilling over the side of the balcony. However, ever since that unfortunate incident with his half-brother, he had taken to idly running his claws through the thick fur at his shoulder. It had become a habit – not a nervous habit, or even a bored habit, just something to do with his hand besides let it hang at his side when he stood waiting for someone or something, or when his mind was otherwise distracted. Some part of him thought he should have worn a bare patch into the fur by now, but the thing was enchanted, wasn't it? Functional as an article of clothing as well as a weapon?

Sesshoumaru's fingers had just found their way to his shoulder when his ear twitched at a sound coming from outside his door and down the hall: footsteps, two different sets. One was heavy, but sure, not clumsy, and barely making a sound and the other light and quick, hurrying to keep up with the long strides of their companion. He knew who they were and shifted his focus to catch their murmured conversation.

"… I know I promised to stay with him, but please trust me on this. There isn't anything wrong. In fact –" Vanessa paused to open the door and gasped, little more than a short sharp intake of breath, quickly followed by Saburo rushing past her through the door.

"What is it? What – My lord! Sesshoumaru-sama! How did… When?"

That Saburo tripped over his words was proof enough of his shock. Did no one believe he would awaken? Sesshoumaru turned his head slightly to peer over his shoulder from the corner of his eye. "I see my palace has not fallen down around your ears in my absence," he said almost flippantly, as though he had merely been abroad all this time, and turned back to the window. It was not uncommon that Saburo would be left in charge while Sesshoumaru was away. He was entirely capable and they both knew it.

"No, my lord… I mean yes. Everything has been well since you… There haven't been any more problems."

Vanessa coughed politely, drawing the attention of both males. "If you will both excuse me, I'll just… go see if Rin is awake yet." Sesshoumaru nodded once and Saburo smiled warmly, and then she left them alone.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, if I may ask, how long have you been awake? I had asked Vanessa-san to find me immediately. Have the healers been here?"

Sesshoumaru turned and looked at him sharply. "I awoke for the first time last night," he said and paused, remembering just where he was the very first time. A lesser man might have blushed, but Sesshoumaru continued smoothly, "and no one else has been notified until now because I wished it so. I will not have healers hovering over me, clucking over every move I make."

"Yes, my lord. Is there anything you need of me? What shall I tell the healers? They will not be satisfied with just the knowledge that you're awake and well."

At that, Sesshoumaru sighed and turned his gaze to the window. He wasn't _quite_ as well as he was leading Saburo to believe. "_One_ healer may come _one_ time. Beyond that I will not have them here unless I call for them specifically." He really had nothing against his healers. They were useful and he valued their talents, but that still didn't do anything to make him want to be their patient.

"I will see to it," Saburo said. "Is there anything you need right away?"

"Have a writing desk brought to my room, and bring me any documents that require my attention. The other lords will want notification in my hand, and –"

"So soon? You haven't fully recovered yet. Surely you don't –"

Sesshoumaru silenced him with a look. "I will not sit idly by and let them talk among themselves about how best to divide _my_ territory. They will not have one moment more than they have had already to consider this Sesshoumaru weak." On the whole, the four great lords got along reasonably well. There was the occasional border dispute when villages expanded, but there hadn't been any major conflict among them in at least a century. However, any shift in power could upset that balance. Sesshoumaru would take no chances.

"But Sesshoumaru-sama, no one –"

"Bring the desk."

"Yes, my lord. As you say. Is there anything else? You must be hungry."

Whatever it was that Vanessa had brought back with her had certainly smelled tempting, and his stomach reminded him painfully that it was very empty, but at the same time, he knew that he would never keep down anything rich. "Something bland. I don't care what," he said dismissively. "Send it with Jaken in one hour's time, and do not allow the healer near until after I have finished my meal." Sesshoumaru was surprised that the little imp had yet to make an appearance, but he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with his groveling just yet.

"I will get right on it," Saburo said as he bowed and backed toward the door. "Sesshoumaru-sama… I am glad you are recovering. It hasn't been the same around here since… but besides that," he said flashing a mischievous grin, "I haven't been able to find a decent sparring partner since…" Saburo drifted off again before ever mentioning Sesshoumaru's unconsciousness, but the cheery light still glinted in his eyes. It was just as well; acknowledgement of failure by someone else made it seem so much more real.

Sesshoumaru just nodded and turned toward his room as Saburo left. He was just about to sit down on the his bed, intending on lying down for a bit when something small dashed through the door and attached itself to his leg. He was shocked into stillness for a moment, but then his eyes softened as he looked down on the girl. It was unusual for her to be so bold, but not unexpected. "Rin," he said, "were you listening?"

She shook her head emphatically in the negative. He had caught her eavesdropping once, but after a light scolding from him, to his knowledge she never did so again. "I heard the door close," she muttered into his hakama.

He stared down at her. _Three weeks…_ he reminded himself. _She must have been frightened._ Gently he pried her arms from around him turned to sit on the pile of cushions Vanessa had previously occupied. He laid his pelt aside and when Rin only stood there staring at him, he held his hand out to her, saying, "Sit with me, Rin."

Hesitantly she placed her small hand in his and Sesshoumaru guided her down beside him, where she drew her knees up to her chest and nestled herself into his side, clinging to the folds of his clothing. "Were you frightened?" he asked her, and she waited a moment, weighing her answer and then nodded. Sesshoumaru slipped his arm around her and under her knees, easily lifting her onto his lap. Rin gasped in surprise at first, but quickly recovered and took advantage of her new position by wrapping her small arms around him again.

"I thought you wouldn't wake up, just like my mama and daddy. I don't want that to happen to you, Sesshoumaru-sama. Not ever."

"I do not wish to die yet either, but death is a part of life, Rin." _Doubly so for you humans_, he thought to himself. "Everyone will pass from this world sometime. Some take longer to get there than others, but in the end everyone leaves." He held her securely to him, one of the few times that he could recall, and rested his chin on top of her head. He breathed in her sweet child-like scent of milk and honey and sighed. "You needn't fear, Rin," he said softly, "I will do everything in my power to remain in this world to watch over you."

Rin only nodded against him, but didn't move away. She seemed fully content to take every advantage of this rare show of affection, and Sesshoumaru let her. It didn't happen often, after all. Soon, he was aware of another set of eyes on him. How had he missed hearing her approach? He glanced up and met Vanessa's eye in the doorway, frowning slightly and wondering if it were he or Rin who left the door open, but she just smiled softly and backed away, closing the door as she left.

A/N: Ugh! Gag me with a spoon full of sugar! I couldn't help it. This chapter (and I think this story) was desperate for fluff… so I put some in. Chance encounters with one's mortality will do that to a person (Sesshoumaru), especially when that person is generally considered 'invincible,' but don't worry. Sesshoumaru is still the same demon lord we all know and love – he still doesn't take sh- 'crap' from anybody. I don't know… too much too soon? That is… not too soon in the story? Obviously after 17 chapters there should be _something_. Just… too soon after next to nothing? Let me know what you think. I may end up making some changes…

I'm falling asleep at my desk right now, but I would like to answer some of your reviews… maybe next chapter? Is that okay? I still love that so many people respond so positively to this story. Thank you!


	18. Time to Go

A/N 11/27/06: Fixed a few typos and added some minor details here and there

A/N: I was really on a role, wasn't I? I had hoped to get this chapter out… wow, about 3 weeks ago, but it sort of stopped itself… and classes started (I come home in the afternoons with an aching brain after trying to decipher both fluid mechanics and German at the same time… it's getting easier, though. A weekend finally came with very little homework and I was all excited to get the rest of this chapter cranked out and… I got sick. Felt like my head was stuffed with cotton and thrown in a vice, my throat hurt, my nose was running like a faucet (I know, you're all thanking me for the details now, aren't you?) and I even had a fever… Last time I had a fever was about 3 years ago, so… I was feeling pretty miserable. Then again, due to my self-prescribed bed rest… or… don't-leave-my-room-until-I'm-feeling-better rest, I really didn't have much else to do but write and watch movies… So write and watch movies I did. Hope it's not too horrible. ;)

Into the East

Chapter eighteen: Time to Go

Posted: 4 November 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

As Vanessa returned to her room she couldn't help grinning. She hated what had happened, hated that Sesshoumaru had been hurt, and most of all, no matter what anyone said, she still blamed herself, but maybe… maybe whatever had happened to him while he slept had been good for him? The scene she had inadvertently walked in on was simply too adorable for words. Rin could hardly hold still while she waited for Saburo to leave, she was that desperate to see that her lord was well and the moment she heard him go she darted through the door before Vanessa could stop her.

Vanessa half expected Sesshoumaru to turn Rin away, but she waited and gave them a few moments of privacy before going to check on them. She wasn't at all prepared to see him holding Rin in his lap, looking every part the father, and telling her that he would always watch over her. Vanessa could only stand in the doorway and watch, unwilling to interrupt such a sweet moment, but then he finally noticed her and she left.

Now she lay on her bed and couldn't decide what to do. Her days had been so full of watching over Sesshoumaru and keeping Rin from worrying too much, that now she seemed to have an overabundance of free time.. She thought about getting Rin out of Sesshoumaru's hair for a while, but then decided that it wasn't really her place. He would tell her to leave in his own way when he needed to. For now, they should have their moment. Vanessa ran a hand through her hair and cringed at the grittiness she felt on her scalp.

"Ugh…" she groaned, sitting up, "that's right…" After Saburo came for her, she hadn't wanted to leave Sesshoumaru long enough to take a real bath. "Well, that settles that." Vanessa grabbed her bath supplies and eagerly made her way to the bathhouse.

After a thorough dunking in the hot water, she squeezed some shampoo into her palm and then held the bottle up in the dim light. "This won't last much longer," she muttered and set it aside to scrub her hair. _I wasn't supposed to have been here this long…_ _How long _has_ it been since I left home? _She thought for a moment and then gasped, sitting straight up in the water. "More than two and a half months? It must be almost August!"

She briefly thought that whatever hope she'd had of returning in time for the new semester was as good as gone, but it was her family that concerned her more. Almost three months passed and not a word from her. They must be so worried. She thought perhaps she should have sent some note with Kagome to pass along to her family, but then what would they think? That she had been kidnapped? That she ran away? And what would she tell them? _'Dear Mom, I've decided to take a spur of the moment trip to Japan. I don't know when I'll be back and there's no way for you to contact me, but don't worry. I'll be fine. Give my love to everyone, Vanessa'_

"_That_ would go over well," she muttered to herself. But was leaving them without some sort of closure really any better? And what about Bryce? He only knew that she had just disappeared, with no warning and no reason. All because she had wanted to take a walk and get away for a while. Well, that idea effectively blew up in her face. She certainly was 'away' now. But if she hadn't taken that walk, if she hadn't come into this world, she would never have met Sesshoumaru or Rin. If she could do it over again, knowing the consequences, would she have done anything different? Would she give up the experiences she had – both the good and the bad – since coming here?

Vanessa groaned and sank under the water to rinse her hair and try to melt her worries away. When she came up, she sighed. It didn't work. She still felt guilty about leaving her family, guilty about Sesshoumaru getting hurt – even though he insists that he doesn't blame her, and guilty about her diminishing feelings for Bryce. That had been going on for some time, but it wasn't until he was taken away from her so completely that she fully realized it. And now she couldn't even talk to him. Was it selfish of her to think that he would wait for her to return? Or maybe he had already moved on. Maybe he felt the same way. Maybe he felt that their relationship had stagnated, too. Was there anything that they could have done, could still do to fix it? Did she want to fix it?

Saburo's words came back to her then: _"It is because you love him."_ That she stoutly refused to believe. How could she have fallen in love with someone in so short a time? That sort of thing only happens in books and movies, and her life was certainly no fairy tale. It simply wasn't probable. It wasn't that the thought of loving Sesshoumaru repulsed her, far from it actually, but she knew that he would never return her feelings. No matter what Saburo said, Sesshoumaru just wouldn't fall for a human like her, would he? No, he made his feelings toward Izayoi and Inuyasha very clear. If by some impossible twist of fate they had a child together, it would be a hanyou, just like Inuyasha. No matter what small part of her might like the idea, she couldn't imagine Sesshoumaru allowing that.

Then, as thought he had stepped straight out of her thoughts, Vanessa heard a voice, _his_ voice. "Vanessa," Sesshoumaru said from the other side of the leafy screen. Instinctively, she sank down and covered herself, though she knew that he couldn't see her through the leaves, and even if he could, he probably had his back to her anyway. That was just the way he was.

"Y-yes?" she stuttered.

"You are troubled."

Blunt as ever, but she knew it was his way of asking if she wanted to talk. How could she, when half of her problems seemed to stem from him? "It's… It's nothing," she said finally and was met with silence.

She thought he might have left as silently as he came, but then he spoke again, "If you do not wish to talk, you need only say as much. I thought we might have been beyond untruths."

Vanessa winced, now feeling guilty for lying to him. "You're right," she said, "I'm sorry." He didn't say anything more, but he didn't leave either. "So… what are you doing down here? Shouldn't you be taking it easy?" She heard his boot crunch on the gravel as he took a step, not toward the exit, but to one of the secluded baths near her.

"Three weeks is a long time not to have a proper bath," he said simply, "and the healers have recommended some herbs that are supposed speed recovery."

It took a moment for Vanessa to realize what he was doing until she heard the swish of fabric and a small splash as he stepped into the water – directly on the other side of the suddenly thin veil of leaves next to her. "You're… um… going to have your bath here?" She blushed as she remembered walking in on him where he bathed in that topmost spring. Why didn't he go there? Why did he have to be… naked… with only a few leaves separating them?

"Yes," he said, and Vanessa could hear the smirk in his voice. "I find I quite like the solitude this area provides."

"You know… if you wanted to find out what was bothering me… this is not the way to go about doing it."

"Perhaps, but now you are not thinking so heavily on your troubles, are you? Now you are more concerned with whether or not you should be embarrassed by the close proximity of an unclothed male."

He was right. It was sweet, it a strange sort of way. If she didn't want to talk, then he seemed to be doing what he could to take her mind off of whatever was bothering her. She heard the tearing of paper from Sesshoumaru's side. "What is that?" Vanessa asked, her curiosity pushing all else from her mind.

"Medicinal herbs," Sesshoumaru said with an air of disgust, but he took a deep breath as the fumes rose on the steam of the water. He sneezed once, but continued to soak and breathe in the essence of the herbs.

As the scent sifted through the leaves to Vanessa's side, she wrinkled her nose at the potency. _No wonder he didn't seem thrilled._ "Woah, did they forget you are a dog demon? That's strong, even to my nose."

"It makes one wonder."

"What is it supposed to do?"

"I am not certain, they only said that it should help."

"Hm, it better, because I think you're going to reek of this stuff for days." Vanessa giggled and imagined Sesshoumaru scowling at her when he didn't respond. Then she sighed. "Do you really want to know what I was thinking about before you came?" Silence. He was the type to tell her when he _didn't_ want to hear, rather than when he did, so she continued. "I was thinking that it's been more than two and a half months… moon cycles… since I left home. I've hardly thought about going home at all, and I feel awful because my family must be so worried. They have no idea where I am, much less _when_ I am, but even if I sent a note back through the well with Kagome, what would I tell them? When… if I get home, what do I tell them? How do I tell them where I've been?"

Sesshoumaru was quiet, thinking over his response, and Vanessa waited. "There was nothing you could do," he said finally.

"What do you mean?"

"A rash decision perhaps on your part, coming through to this time, but once you were here and found you could not return by either of two known methods, what else could you do but adapt. Perhaps…"

"What?" she probed gently.

"Perhaps I should have looked harder for a way to send you home. Then you could have been home sooner."

Such an admission coming from Sesshoumaru was a shock. "I couldn't ask you to do more than you already have. Besides, I… I like it here. I'll be sad to leave when the time comes."

Sesshoumaru didn't say anything after that and Vanessa looked down at her hands. "I'm pruney," she announced and stood, quickly wrapping a towel around herself. "I'm going to get dressed and take a walk. Don't stay in here too long" She heard him make a sound in his throat as she put on her robe and took it to mean he heard. Whether or not he took her advice was another matter.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru stayed in the spring only a short while longer. It wouldn't do to have survived what everyone seemed to think the un-survivable, only to fall asleep and drown in the bath. That combined with the fact that he was growing accustomed to the smell of the potent herbs, and consequently feared for the health of his nose, was enough to convince him that he had spent enough time getting clean.

He hauled himself up out of the water and pulled his long hair over one shoulder to squeeze most of the water out then donned his robe and began the short journey back to his room, where he would put on more appropriate clothing. At the base of the staircase, he paused only for a moment. _Stairs…_ he grumbled silently as he made his way up. It was easier than it had been last night, but not by much – just enough to tell him that his strength really was returning. _Just a little farther,_ he told himself as he topped the final flight of stairs and strode confidently toward his door.

Once inside, his keen hearing told him that no one else was near, so he allowed himself a moment to lean back against the closed door. _This is going to be a long recovery._ He still couldn't believe that he had let this happen for a human… for Vanessa… What had possessed him to do such a thing?

'_But you would protect me, wouldn't you? If we were friends?'_

Was that what it meant to have friends? To put one's life on the line simply to ensure their safety? Inuyasha seemed to have no trouble doing so. Sesshoumaru growled softly. He was not about to start comparing his life with that of his half-breed brother. At about that moment, there was a knock on the door, startling him and causing him to jump lightly away, eternally grateful that no one was there to see.

"Come," he said evenly, as though nothing were amiss.

Saburo entered first, followed by a pair of servants carrying a writing desk between them. "Where would you like the desk, my lord?" Sesshoumaru motioned toward his bedroom and left it to them to find a place for it. He knelt at the low table to wait and poured himself a cup of tea. Sounds of scuffling and moving furniture drifted to him through the open door, but he ignored it in favor of resuming the train of thought that had been interrupted by Saburo's appearance.

His father had gone to his death defending the human that he loved… was that to be Sesshoumaru's fate as well? But he hadn't died. With Vanessa's help, he had survived. What did that mean? What sort of bond had they formed that she could reach into him, even without knowing that she was doing so, and lead him home?

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru blinked; he had been staring vacantly into his cup and had the vague feeling that this wasn't the first time that Saburo had tried to get his attention. He looked up at the tiger, who wore a concerned expression on his face.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, are you well?"

The taiyoukai merely grunted his acknowledgment and rose smoothly to his feet to inspect the rearranging of his room. The desk stood where there was once a table in between the two windows. The small table had been moved to the bedside and a stack of scrolls and parchments sat on the surface.

"This will do," he said and picked up the first message in the stack and began to read.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I really think you should rest, at least a day or two more before taking this on."

"I am still lord of these lands," Sesshoumaru said, never taking his eyes from the parchment, "and while I have breath in my body, it is my duty to see them taken care of. At this moment, that duty demands that I contact the other great lords before conflict arises."

"Hai, my lord. Your duty. I will leave you to it then. Just don't push yourself too hard."

"I know my limits," Sesshoumaru said coldly, effectively ending the discussion. Saburo gave a stiff bow and exited, but Sesshoumaru heard him mutter exasperatedly, "Maybe _you_ can talk some sense into him," before the door closed. Moments later, Vanessa appeared in his place.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"Saburo is displeased that I wish to resume some of my duties right away."

Vanessa came closer to peer at the paper in his hand, but shrugged when she couldn't decipher the writing. "And just what might those duties be?"

"Answering letters and sending confirmation that I am, in fact, very much alive."

She shrugged again. "That doesn't sound so bad. I don't see why you shouldn't be able to start that right away. It's important, isn't it? Since you hold such a high position? Even I know that with the way lands are governed in this time, you can't just leave your enemies – or even your allies – guessing."

Sesshoumaru could have kissed her for that little bout of confidence. He froze and tried to shake off the feeling, but felt his eyes widening in realization at what he had just implied, if only to himself, and he turned deliberately to sift through the pile of correspondences until he could regain his composure. It was difficult, with his heart thudding as it was against his ribs over what he had almost allowed himself to realize, but he finally selected an ornate scroll and turned back to Vanessa. If she noticed anything strange about his behavior, she gave no indication.

How was it that she, a foreigner to this time and place, understood what he was doing better than even his advisor? With her knowledge and intuition by his side… _No!_ he snarled savagely within his mind. He would not fall into the same trap that his father had.

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came. Even his voice wasn't yet what it should be. He cleared his throat and tried again, "I should get started before it gets too late."

"Okay," Vanessa said, and then grinned. "If you want a break, let me know. I'm sure between you, me and Rin, we can think of some reasonable excuse for you to get away unmolested." With that, she strolled cheerfully out of the room, closing the door softly behind her as she went.

Sesshoumaru was left staring numbly at the scroll in his hand. It was from the Northern lord. He glanced up at his door once more before settling himself at the desk. _Vanessa… What are you doing to me?_

VvVvVvVvV

Several days had passed since Sesshoumaru awoke and things seemed to have settled into a sort of routine again, although Sesshoumaru seemed to be acting a little strange since waking up. Sometimes he ignored Vanessa or avoided her, other times she caught him staring at her intently, as though he couldn't figure her out. In those moments, she found her belly fluttering with butterflies and she wondered what suddenly seemed to interest him so much about her. In the end, she always reasoned that he was just wondering how 'she' had led him out of the maze of his mind. She was curious about that herself, but no one seemed to have any answers.

Vanessa had just been out to visit Shizu with Rin and decided to pay Sesshoumaru a visit while Rin went on to her afternoon lessons. She wasn't surprised to find his bedroom door open; he spent most of his time in there now, but when she crossed the threshold, she paused.

Sesshoumaru sat at his desk with his forehead resting in the palm of his hand. Was he sleeping? He'd been trying so hard to keep up appearances, to act as though he hadn't been unconscious for weeks, but even with his youkai healing abilities, how could he expect to be back to normal so quickly? He had only just woken up three days ago, after all.

She slid the door closed behind her, just in case anyone came calling. She knew Sesshoumaru well enough to guess that this wasn't a planned rest break and that he wouldn't want anyone to see him display such 'weakness.' If she'd really thought about it, she might have also figured that he wouldn't want her to see him like this either, but she had to check on him.

Vanessa approached cautiously and laid her hand on his shoulder. The response was immediate. Before she could even get a word out, moment her hand touched his shoulder, he had her wrist in a vice grip. Just a twitch of his hand was all it would take to snap hers, but then, with his head still hanging where that hand had supported it, he sniffed ever so subtly and loosened his hold on her. He even rubbed small circles on the inside of her wrist as if in apology before releasing her and straightening in his seat.

"I hate this," Sesshoumaru said softly, catching Vanessa off guard. She waited silently for him to continue, knowing that no amount of prompting from her would get him to say more than he wanted to. In fact, prying often seemed to get him to clam up more than if she waited patiently. "I have never felt so… so weak."

"If you think that's bad," Vanessa chimed while helping herself to a seat on his bed, "try being human."

Sesshoumaru turned over his shoulder and stared at her incredulously, which only made her laugh. Apparently, he didn't think that was a funny notion. "Look," she said, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, "you have to give yourself time to get better. You've been in pretty rough shape for the past few weeks and you've only just woken up. You can't expect to be back to normal immediately. I'm beginning to wonder if you've ever even been sick before now."

"I haven't."

"Y– … Oh." Vanessa frowned for a moment and then brightened. "Okay, think of it this way. When you… er… lost your arm – hear me out!" she cried when he narrowed his eyes at her. "When you were injured then, I'm sure you weren't feeling exactly the best just three days afterward, were you? This is the same idea. You just need to give yourself time."

"It is not the same."

Vanessa returned his glare. "Are you being stubborn intentionally? Back then you had a limb cut from your body. A limb, Sesshoumaru. Youkai or not, it's amazing you didn't die from blood loss. This time, you were poisoned and very probably would have died, but both times you beat the odds. Just let yourself heal. It'll only take longer if you keep pushing yourself to be at the level that you were before. You'll get there. I have no doubts about that."

"Hm."

"Have you eaten?" Vanessa asked, suddenly realizing that she'd only had a small breakfast.

Sesshoumaru started a bit at her sudden change of subject, but shook his head. "Not since this morning."

"Neither have I. Want to come with me and find something?" It was already mid-afternoon and the cooks were probably finishing their mid-day break between meals, but even if they had started preparing for dinner already, nothing would be ready to eat. They would have to find something themselves.

At the rate Sesshoumaru's body was trying to heal itself, she figured he needed to eat heartily to keep up the energy needed, but if she knew him at all, she also figured that he had probably skipped more than a meal or two in the days since waking, in favor of catching up on his work – all to prove that he wasn't weak.

Of course, Vanessa couldn't voice her suspicions so she kept her face a little hopeful, but carefully neutral, a skill she was learning from a master. She really hadn't seen very much of the youkai lord in the past few days and she missed talking with him. He had either been in constant meetings with Saburo and his other advisors, or had closed himself in his room to respond to the ever-increasing number of messages.

It seemed that everyone was urging Sesshoumaru to take it easy, to take the time to recover, but that only made him work harder to prove that he didn't need to. _You and your pride…_ Vanessa tried not to hover and nag him, but she couldn't help noticing that he still looked paler than normal and the shadows around his eyes hadn't quite faded. _You're going to exhaust yourself._

Sesshoumaru looked like he was considering waiting until the evening meal and continuing whatever he had been doing earlier, but then he took his eyes away from the pile of parchment and scrolls and turned back to Vanessa. Something unidentifiable flickered in his eyes and then he sighed. "Let's go," he said and stood.

Vanessa hopped cheerfully off the bed and followed him out and down to the kitchens. The cooks were just setting out the ingredients they would need for dinner and Sesshoumaru ignored them as he walked past to the shelves that held foods that were easily prepared or required no cooking at all, mostly fruits and vegetables and some breads and cheeses. Next to these shelves was a small hearth with a pot of stew simmering over dim coals. It was kept warm throughout the day and late into the night so that anyone wanting a hot meal – mostly the household staff – could have it whenever they had a free moment.

Sesshoumaru bent over the pot and lifted the lid. It was about that moment that the head cook took notice of his presence. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" she gasped, sounding almost scandalized. "You don't want that." The taiyoukai straightened and raised a brow at her as if to challenge her to tell him exactly what it was that he did want. She didn't back down. The plump old youkai with a stern eye and a sharp tongue to match bustled over to him and took the lid away, replacing it on the bubbling pot.

"You don't need common servants' stew sitting in your belly. If you want something hot, just give me a moment and I'll whip something up for you. Now," she continued with a slight warning tone, "don't you go making a habit of disrupting my routine. Next time I might just let you eat that mess, but seeing as we just got you back and all, today I'll make an exception. You sit right here and I'll be back with something to fill you up right."

Sesshoumaru silently allowed himself to be led away from the warming pot to a stool at the preparation table, but his eyes were twinkling with some inner amusement or a certain fondness. Vanessa stared after him and finally went to join him at the table.

"You never cease to surprise me," she said as the other cooks continued about their business around them.

"Have I done something unusual?" he asked with a smirk.

"Well, for starters, you've nearly bit the head off of anyone who so much as thought of mothering you since you woke up, but you didn't even put up a fuss with her."

"Kuri has a way with people," Sesshoumaru responded and glanced over at the old youkai's back.

"Ah, you mean she doesn't let you bully her." She grinned at the dark look he shot her.

"Whatever I say is for his own good, and he knows it." Vanessa jumped when Kuri seemed to just appear at their side. "Besides, who in their right mind would anger the one who makes his food? Hm? Might just get rice and greens for a week if I thought he deserved it. Here you are, dears – omelet and rice with steak. And you," she said, shaking a finger under Sesshoumaru's nose, "no complaining that the meat is cooked too much. I've made it for the tastes of your lady companion.

Vanessa caught Sesshoumaru's eyes snapping to her, but he looked away again when Kuri continued talking. "No sense in making two full meals when dinner is only hours away. Eat! Eat! You're too thin, Sesshoumaru-sama," she said, waving her hands at them until they both picked up their chopsticks. Satisfied, she left them with a final, "Now, if you will excuse me, I have a meal to prepare."

Vanessa leaned over the corner of the table and whispered to Sesshoumaru, "She's kind of scary… in a sweet grandmotherly sort of way."

He just nodded and continued eating. She watched him while she slowly ate her own meal. There was so much she didn't know about him, so much about his past that he hasn't told her, but did she really want to know _everything?_ He was who he was and whatever he had been through and whatever he had done before they met had shaped him into that person.

Once or twice, Sesshoumaru glanced up and caught her watching him, but she always hurriedly looked back down at her food, her cheeks strangely warm, and she never saw his reaction – if there was one to see. Almost as soon as they were finished, Kuri was there, clearing away their dishes and herding them out of 'her' kitchen.

"So," Vanessa said once they were outside in the courtyard, "what do you want to do now?" She hoped that he would want to spend some time _away_ from the work he had been burying himself in, but if he went back to his room, she'd just have to find something else to do.

Sesshoumaru stopped in the center of the courtyard, seeming to consider. He glanced up in the direction of his quarters and then looked around the courtyard. His eyes came to a stop in one corner, which Vanessa realized was the same corner where he had fought Mitsue, and he gave a small frown. Abruptly he turned in the opposite direction, saying, "Come with me." His long strides carried him quickly away, and she had to hurry to catch up with him.

VvVvVvVvV

'_Lady companion?'_ Sesshoumaru thought as he strode away from Vanessa across the courtyard. _Precisely _what_ did old Kuri mean by that?_ He had no doubt that Vanessa would follow him when he had turned away from the location of that last battle; her curiosity held far too much sway over her decisions. Besides, she had asked him what he wanted to do. _What _do_ I want to do?_ A half-formed plan had inserted itself in his mind when his eyes passed over that small corner of the courtyard, but what to do about it… how to carry it out… he'd have to 'improvise' as Vanessa always said. That was why they were currently making their way to his dojo.

He hadn't bothered going there in the past days simply because he figured no one would give him an honest fight – and because he truly didn't think he could stand up to anyone who might have given him that fight. His strength had improved considerably, but sparring would have only shown everyone how weak he really was. It wouldn't be much longer before he was back in top form… he hoped.

"So where are we going?" Vanessa asked him, jogging every few steps to keep up with his ground-eating stride. Sesshoumaru slowed his pace a little and glanced at her.

"You do not recognize this path?"

She frowned and looked again. "The dojo? Why are we going there?"

"You'll see."

Sesshoumaru knew he had her curiosity piqued, but he said nothing more; he was still working out exactly what it was he planned to do. All too quickly, he was sliding open the shoji screen at the entrance to the dojo. He led Vanessa to a small, private storage room and lit a lamp. _It's here somewhere…_ he thought as he poked through the shelves. From the corner of his eye, he caught her staring at him as though he'd lost his mind, and as far as he knew, he very well may have, but then he found what he was looking for.

It appeared to be nothing more than a slender black-lacquered wooden cylinder, worked the entire length with silver leaves and vines. Sesshoumaru handed it to Vanessa. She turned it over in her hands, admiring the craftsmanship then looked up at him dubiously. "It's beautiful, but… what is it?"

He resisted the urge to smirk and gestured to the wooden object. "Open it."

Once again, she turned it over in her hands, searching for a latch or even a seam. Finally she turned a frustrated look on him. "How?"

Sesshoumaru rolled it in her hands until a certain leaf was on the top. He touched it with a claw, making sure that Vanessa noted which one, and then pressed gently. A soft click sounded and suddenly a gap appeared in the seemingly solid object. Vanessa gasped and nearly dropped it, but Sesshoumaru stepped back and let her examine it. Almost hesitantly, she pulled the two pieces apart and revealed a thin, delicate-looking blade, but he knew it to be very strong and very sharp.

Vanessa stared at the blade and Sesshoumaru could tell that she was asking herself if she could ever use it. "Is this… is this for me?" she asked. He nodded. Slowly she slid the blade back into its case until the latch clicked, and then she tried giving it back. "I can't accept this," she said, shaking her head. "You've given me too much."

Sesshoumaru pushed it back into her hands and told her, "This is not merely a gift. You must be able to protect yourself, even here, apparently." She clutched it to her chest then, though she still looked doubtful.

"I don't know the first thing about how to use it."

"You will learn." He would teach her himself, if that's what it took to ensure her safety. "For now, tuck it into the pocket in your left sleeve so that the hilt is unhindered, should you need to draw the blade. Get used to the weight of it, then I will show you how to use it."

"You would do that?"

Sesshoumaru nodded and Vanessa momentarily unfastened the catch again to find the right end and then tucked it securely in her sleeve. "How's that?"

"Fine. I should go back or Saburo is likely to send a search party," he said with a sigh.

"He's just worried. He'll back off soon enough."

"Indeed."

VvVvVvVvV

"If someone grabs you from behind, like so, what do you do?"

Vanessa grumbled to herself. A week and Sesshoumaru seemed to have regained most of his strength. Two weeks and it was as if he had never been hurt. She almost had to remind herself that he had been unconscious for weeks, creeping closer and closer to death each day that he slept. Now he was embracing the role of relentless taskmaster in teaching her to defend herself.

Every day since giving her the ornately decorated blade, he had spent an hour or more with her, teaching her. He didn't expect her to become a great warrior, but he did expect her to learn how to break various holds and to be enough of a nuisance, with the blade or without, that the average attacker might decide that she wasn't worth the effort, and they worked at it until it became second nature.

Vanessa relaxed against Sesshoumaru's hold on her. "We've been at this for hours, can't we take a break?" His arm held her across shoulders perhaps a moment longer than was necessary before he released her, but she never noticed. He stepped away and straightened.

"We have 'been at this' for less than an hour, and in that time you have made more than enough mistakes to get yourself killed."

She wiped her face with both hands and sat down on a bench at the wall. "I'm sorry. I appreciate this, really. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night." Sesshoumaru sat down silently beside her. In fact, she hadn't gotten a lot of sleep for the past several nights. She was having dreams… not nightmares – far from it actually, but disturbing nonetheless, and they left her awake for hours afterward.

"An enemy will not care how much you slept the previous night. He will take advantage of every weakness."

Weakness. That was why he was training her, wasn't it? She was a weak human, a human under his care, a human who had already been used against him in the short time that she had been there, a weakness. "I know," she said quietly.

"What troubles your sleep?" he asked without a hint of the contempt she knew he generally held for humans in his golden eyes.

Vanessa smiled a little sheepishly. "A dream."

"What sort of dream?"

"It's silly," she said, shaking her head and trying to turn his interest from her.

"Dreams," Sesshoumaru began thoughtfully, "can have meaning. They can show us truths that we wouldn't normally take notice of, especially if the dream repeats itself."

Vanessa started. How did he know? She never said anything about her dream coming more than once.

He caught her eye and held it. "You have had this dream before?" So, he hadn't actually known…

"Yes… but I'm sure it's nothing." She'd never really put any stock in dreams before. It was strange to her to now be in a place where dreams really could mean something… Hadn't Sesshoumaru's father visited him in a dream? And didn't she just lead Sesshoumaru out of a dream world? Maybe she should rethink her feelings on the silliness of dreams.

"How many times has this dream come?"

Vanessa winced. If he were to read anything into this dream, her answer would only solidify his feeling that it meant something. "Practically every night since you woke up."

He stared right into her eyes, and she felt as though he wanted to pull the dream out of her thoughts himself. She couldn't look away.

"Tell me of this dream," he said finally, never taking his eyes from her.

"It starts a little different every time… But it always ends the same," she said, feeling a little silly talking about a dream as if it were of some great importance.

"Go on."

"When it starts, I'm playing with Max – that's what changes. Sometimes we're in a park or in the woods or at the beach. We play for what seems like hours. We chase each other or I throw a stick or a ball for him to fetch… then evening comes and it's time to go home." Vanessa paused to collect her thoughts, now wondering if the next part was, in fact, somehow significant. "This part stays the same no matter where we were before. We always come to the same road and stop at the same place. The road forks there. I could go left or right, but so far I haven't gone beyond that point."

Sesshoumaru watched her thoughtfully. "Do you see anything down either path?"

Vanessa frowned and tried to remember. "They were different. Down one road I could see for miles… It was clear, as if someone had trimmed back the trees to make it easy for traveling."

"And the other?"

"The other side curved away into the trees. I don't know where it led, but it was wild compared to the other side. It wasn't dark or scary… but there was a sense of danger for someone who didn't watch where they were going. We stop there every time, and Max sits in front of me, just looking at me, waiting for me to tell him where we are going. And that's it."

She looked over at Sesshoumaru then. He wore a small frown as he thought about what she had said. "So, what do you think?"

He looked up and held her gaze for a moment. "It would appear you have a choice to make, a difficult one if you have come to this point so many times without choosing a path."

"A choice? What sort of choice?"

"If our dreams were that specific, then we would rarely have to deal with the uncertainties of life. If our dreams told us exactly what we wanted to know, then there would be no learning from our mistakes."

The taste of bitterness sat firmly on the edge of that bit of wisdom. Had Sesshoumaru had dreams that fell just short of telling him what they meant? What mistakes did he have to learn from? _Am I a mistake?_ she wondered, suddenly uncertain.

"Well, if it's a matter of making decisions, then I suppose I'll take the road less traveled this time and let you attack me some more. I promise I'll do my best to focus."

Sesshoumaru nodded and stood, waiting for her to join him once more before moving to the center of the room. Vanessa took a breath and crossed the padded floor to him. While she appreciated the effort he was taking to help her defend herself, it was far from her favorite time of day. For one, she was getting sore from using muscles she never thought she'd need, and second, Sesshoumaru became her personal punching bag. After their first little session on 'fighting back,' she began to wonder if he had developed some sort of masochistic tendencies.

He took every kick, stomp, elbow, jab, and any number of presumably painful methods of breaking someone's hold on her without so much as a grunt of pain. Vanessa held back at first; she really didn't like the idea of intentionally trying to inflict bodily harm on him, but all he said on the matter was that if she held back in practice, she would hold back in reality. Of course, at the start of teaching her each new technique, he would have her hit a suspended sack of grain, but beating up sacks of grain can only carry one so far when trying to learn how to get an attacker's hands away from one's throat. The only deviation to the 'routine' was her use of a thin wooden stick in place of the actual blade.

Days passed, and everything was getting back to 'normal.' Sesshoumaru took his work back to his study, and seemed to have finally caught up on everything that he had missed. Everything was just as it had been… before, so why did Vanessa feel so restless? She felt like there was something she had to do, but what?

_Decisions, decisions…_ she thought as she leaned back on her bed trying to think of what to do with her day. It was still early. Rin was in her lessons and Sesshoumaru was probably in his study. _Decisions… Choices…_ She sat up. Was that it? Did all this uneasiness have to do with the 'choice' she had to make? What did that mean, anyway? What would she have to choose between? Better yet, when would she have to make this choice?

A shadow fell over her doorway, breaking her away from her thoughts. She glanced up and was mildly surprised to find Sesshoumaru standing there. He didn't often seek her out, but in the weeks since he regained consciousness he'd requested her company more and more often. It was nothing extravagant, usually a meal or a walk in the garden, but Vanessa was touched. "Hi," she said when he took a step into the room.

"I am taking a walk." That was all the invitation she usually got, but he waited for a moment to see if she would join him.

Vanessa hopped off her bed and grabbed her sandals, catching up with Sesshoumaru when he reached to door out to the hall.

"Taking a break?"

"Hm." Little else was said until they reached the carefully sculpted gardens. They wandered the twisting path until they reached the wilder forest behind the main structures of the palace. It was here that Sesshoumaru really seemed to relax. He didn't let his guard down, exactly, but he seemed much more at ease away from everything that ruling required of him.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He turned over his shoulder to acknowledge her.

"Can I ask you something?" A wary nod was his answer. "If you didn't have to rule… if you didn't have these lands to take care of, what would you do?"

Sesshoumaru paused. "What do you mean?" he asked, as though the very idea had never occurred to him.

"I don't know. You just seem more at ease, a little happier I guess, when you're not in the palace. It just made me wonder if you ever wanted to do something else."

He frowned a little and then continued walking. "I am where fate has placed me," he said finally. "I was born to this position and never considered anything else an option."

"I see."

"I suppose," Sesshoumaru said slowly, "I do prefer to be outdoors. I do not like to feel confined, but I am bound to my responsibilities. This was what I was born to do and I do not resent the life I lead."

Vanessa stared at his back for a moment. It was hard to imagine not choosing her life's work… especially when that life was measured in centuries, or even millennia, rather than decades. Then again… Sesshoumaru came from an entirely different society than she did, one that she still knew next to nothing about. Maybe things would change over time and youkai society would adapt to the changes in human society.

"What is destined," he continued almost thoughtfully, "cannot be changed."

"I disagree." Sesshoumaru halted and waited for Vanessa to draw up beside him before moving again. "I like to think that I have some control over what happens to me."

"Did you choose to come here?" he asked suddenly.

"Not exactly… but I did choose to step through the gateway."

"And you had no thoughts of how strange it must be to see a gateway to this place in a world supposedly without magic?"

"My instincts were telling me to turn around and go back to the party. If I was meant to come here, wouldn't they have been telling me to go through?"

"Perhaps," he conceded.

"So… if it was in my destiny to come here, then I was destined to meet you in the woods that day, and on the same note, you were destined to meet me. Would you then say that you were destined to befriend a human?" Sesshoumaru didn't say anything. Vanessa grinned and pressed on. "Am I to believe that something other than you stayed your hand that day? You had no choice but to let me live? To open your home to me? To take care of me when I was sick? It was your destiny and you had no choice but to put your life at risk to save me?"

"Enough!" Sesshoumaru cried in exasperation, but there was no anger in his voice. "You have made your point. Perhaps you were not _destined_ to come here, exactly, but how else do you explain it?"

"Consequences of a choice."

"Hn. Choices." Whether he had intended it or not, that one word suddenly reminded Vanessa of her dreams, her restlessness. She fell back a little. She was happy there, in Sesshoumaru's home. She loved Rin. Suddenly she knew what her choice would be. She would have to give up her home in the future or her home here, give up her family or give up Sesshoumaru and Rin. How was she supposed to choose? She found herself absently twirling her ring around her finger. _Bryce…_ Could she just leave him like that? Thoughts and emotions were raging within her. How could she go back? Even if there was a way, how could she just leave after everything Sesshoumaru had done for her? Did she want to?

"Vanessa?" She snapped her eyes up to meet Sesshoumaru's questioning gaze; she hadn't even noticed that she came to a stop. Vanessa tried to shake off her thoughts and jogged to catch up with him, but just as she reached his side, her foot snagged on an upturned root and she pitched forward with a short cry of surprise.

She fell, but the ground never rose to meet her. Instead, she found herself being drawn in to the demon lord's chest, his strong arm about her waist, supporting her. All at once, she was met with his spicy clean scent of snowfalls and mountain streams, and it made her head spin in a way that was not in the least bit unpleasant.

Vanessa clutched his breastplate and rested her forehead on the hard bone between the spikes, not entirely unlike her first encounter with him, and absorbed the scent that was his alone. She thought she should feel very silly and embarrassed at the moment, except for one thing: he didn't let go. Sesshoumaru's arm was still wrapped securely around her, holding her to him, and she found herself wanting him never to release her. Everything about that moment, him and her… them, it felt so right just then, and she knew what she had to do.

"Sesshoumaru," she said softly, wondering how he could even hear her over the pounding in her chest. His breath ghosted past her ear as he tilted his head down to her level, and the smooth baritone of his voice sent a shiver up her spine when he finally responded.

"Yes?" Short, and simple, just like always, and Vanessa had to smile despite the torrent of emotions raging within her.

"Sesshoumaru, I… I need to go home." There. She said it. No matter how much she wanted to do otherwise, she just couldn't. She couldn't let herself get carried away by this… whatever it was that she was feeling when there were so many at home who needed to know that she was okay. At the same time that everything felt so right, it also felt terribly wrong. Hadn't she made a commitment to a man living five centuries in the future? Maybe in another time or another place… if she hadn't already been engaged… but this was not the time to dwell on what couldn't be.

Immediately, Sesshoumaru pulled away from her and held her at arm's length, looking her up and down before peering into her eyes, his own darkening with concern. "Are you injured?" he asked.

Vanessa quickly shook her head and cast her eyes down to the grass at their feet. A piece of her seemed to break away at the tenderness she saw in his gaze. She was home, in a way, here with Sesshoumaru and Rin – he seemed to think so, too.

"No. I mean… I need to go _home._" He had been so good to her, had taken her in when she had no one else to turn to, but now it was time to leave. She had to, didn't she? It was the right decision, wasn't it? How would she know?

Finally, after a long silence, Vanessa raised her gaze to her host's and took an involuntary step backward. She wasn't sure how she expected him to react, but it certainly wasn't this. For the first time in more than three months since she entered this world, Vanessa was met with Sesshoumaru's piercing, cold, hard gaze. His expression was completely unreadable. Every barrier she hadn't known she'd broken through was back in place. Even his eyes, the golden pools that had begun to open up to her, were cold and unfeeling.

"Yes," he finally said, slowly, impassively, "Perhaps it is time."

VvVvVvVvV

_Weak._ Sesshoumaru paced his study. _A moment of weakness and look where it's gotten you._ He snarled at himself. How could he have let it get this far? Well, if she wanted to go _home_, then he would take her back to the old miko and wash his hands of everything. Surely they would have thought of something by now. He didn't want her to go, he realized, but she made her choice. This is what the dream was telling her, wasn't it? She made her choice… but why did it hurt?

With one last derisive snort, he swept out into the hall. Nothing changed. He vowed to see her safely away, and he would, but he didn't need to get mixed up with her any more than he already had.

"Rin," he said from her doorway, "Pack a bag. We are leaving."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Jaken," he said a bit louder into the other room.

"Hai, my lord?" The imp scurried around the corner and nearly fell over himself in his effort to throw himself at his lord's feet.

"You will come as well. Gather what you need and prepare Ah-Un. Now."

"Hai, my lord, right away." He watched Jaken hurry to do as he was told and stiffened imperceptibly when he sensed Vanessa's presence behind him.

"Sesshoumaru?" She spoke softly, almost hesitantly. He turned, donning the mask he had perfected centuries ago. Why had he ever let it slip? "Are we… are we leaving right away?"

"You wish to return home, but first we need to speak with the miko Kaede, so we should not delay."

"Right. M-may I say good-bye? To some of the people here, I mean."

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment. Maybe this wasn't as simple a decision for her as he had thought. He nodded.

"Thank you! I won't take long," she said and dashed out the door before he could say another word. He sat down on a cushion to wait. There wasn't really anything that he needed to pack. After all, it was a short journey to Inuyasha's forest. He had Tokijin and Tenseiga. They were all he needed.

A short time later, Vanessa returned and jumped when she saw him sitting there. She quickly went to her room to finish packing, but not before Sesshoumaru saw her red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks. Why was she doing this to herself? If leaving was upsetting her so much… why did she feel she had to? She never gave an explanation for her choice. He sighed and went in search of Saburo. Since he assumed that he was one of the ones Vanessa wanted to say good-bye to, he let her have her moment uninterrupted. Now, however, he needed to give instruction for the duration of his absence.

As it turned out, he didn't have to search far. A very angry tiger youkai nearly collided with him as he rounded a corner on his way to Saburo's office. "Sesshoumaru-sama, what did you do?"

"What makes you think I did anything?" Sesshoumaru asked, feeling mildly irritated at the accusation,

"Vanessa just came to see me."

"I know."

"She was very upset."

"And?"

"Do you know anything about this?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "Probably no more than you. We were taking a walk when she decided that it was time for her to return to her home."

"Did she say why? I thought she was happy here. Did something upset her? Why did she wait until now?"

"I don't know!" Sesshoumaru snapped and then pinched the bridge of his nose. He'd asked himself these same questions and more, but could think of nothing that he or anyone else had done to drive the woman away. "She hasn't been herself recently, but I can think of no reason why she would want to leave so abruptly."

"Forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama, I did not mean to accuse. It's just…" for once, Saburo seemed at a loss for words, "she will be missed."

_More than you know…_ Sesshoumaru growled to himself, banishing that thought. "I did not come to you to talk about the behavior patterns of mortals. I will be leaving for a few days to escort Vanessa into Inuyasha's forest. Carry on as normal until my return. I hope to be away only a week, but if an emergency arises, then do what you can and send word to me immediately. I know my palace is in good hands."

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama, I will do my best. You are leaving right away?"

"Yes, as soon as Rin and Vanessa are packed."

"Safe journey then, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"I will expect a full report when I return," Sesshoumaru said over his shoulder as he walked away. Rin and Vanessa should have their things together by now, and the sooner they could get under way and put all of this behind them, the better.

Sesshoumaru found Vanessa in her room, sitting on her bed with a bulging 'backpack' at her feet. He was strangely pleased to note, after a glance toward her wardrobe, that this time she had chosen a few kimono to take with her. Now she was staring around the room, as if engraining it in her memory. _Why are you doing this? I would have welcomed you here, for as long as you liked. For as long as you liked…_ She didn't _want_ to stay?

He wanted to know why she had to leave, but he couldn't ask. "Are you ready?" he asked evenly instead, as he moved to stand before her. She nodded. Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to speak, to ask her why, but stopped himself. He didn't care. One human charge would soon be his responsibility no longer, but what was that look she just gave him? It was as hopeful, as though she were looking for some reason to change her mind. "Let's go then."

Vanessa nodded again and reached down for her bag, but Sesshoumaru grabbed it first. Why? Well, it seemed like the right thing to do at the time, and he didn't miss the little smile that Vanessa gave him. His heart twinged at the thought of never seeing that smile again, and he growled to himself, too low for Vanessa to hear, and turned toward the door.

Rin was waiting patiently by the door, appearing in far too high of spirits to have known yet that her 'Nessa-neesan' would soon be leaving. He cast a glance back at Vanessa, but she only shrugged. Sesshoumaru took Rin's small bag as well, and led the pair to the stable where Ah-Un was housed. Jaken should have had enough time by now to see that he was ready. He intended to fly right away, and to fly through the night to get to the miko's village. He would have liked to spend the week traveling by foot, convincing her not to go, but what justification would he give her? That Rin needed her? Could he tell her that he wanted her to stay, too?_ Of course not._ In the end, traveling so would only delay the inevitable and further delay his return, and after everything that had happened, he could not afford to be away for a moment longer than was necessary.

Sesshoumaru set the bags on Ah-Un's rump for Jaken to tie them behind the wide, flat saddle and turned to the humans. "We will fly long and fast. Watch that you do not fall off." He gave them a moment to climb onto Ah-Un's back, and took up the reigns just as Jaken scrambled up himself, having just tucked his Staff of Two Heads securely with the rest of the bags and blankets. Sesshoumaru led them out the main gates and past the surrounding village before finally taking to the air. It felt good to once again have the familiar pool of energy at his feet, which would soon lift him off the ground – it had been far too long since he last used the ability, and he had forgotten just how free it made him feel.

Vanessa and Rin chatted behind him, and Rin still gave no indication that she knew what Vanessa was planning. He wondered just when she was going to tell the girl she was leaving. Then again, he knew that Rin would not take it very well. She adored Vanessa. It seemed that she held her second only to Sesshoumaru himself. He pushed on harder, trying to escape what he didn't want to feel, and it worked for a little while.

By nightfall of the next day, Sesshoumaru stopped to make camp. Despite not having actually walked themselves, Rin and Vanessa were exhausted. They had taken only short breaks the previous day and had made very good time. Now they sat just outside the miko's village, carefully down wind in case the hanyou was present. He wanted one last night of peace before facing the maelstrom that was bound to follow his half-brother wherever he went.

Jaken was currently fast asleep against Ah-Un, and Rin was curled up next to him. Vanessa sat silently to his other side. They hadn't said more than two words to one another the entire trip. What if they found a way for her to go home? Could he let her go like this? Then, almost as though she had read his mind, she spoke.

"Sesshoumaru?" she said softly, careful not to wake the others.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

_Sorry?_ "What for?"

"I never meant to make you angry. It's just… I feel like it's time for me to go. I don't know if it's even possible, but I have to try. I guess I just wanted you to know that I'm not leaving because of anything you or anyone else did."

"Hn. Rin will be sorry to see you go." No matter how much he might feel it, he simply couldn't bring himself to voice that he might miss the presence of a human.

"Yeah. I know," she said with a bit of sadness lacing her tone.

"You have not told her yet." Sesshoumaru turned deliberately and touched Rin's hair. "Do you plan to leave without saying good-bye to her?"

"No, of course not." She drew her knees up to her chest. "But I don't know how to tell her. I don't think she'll understand."

_Do you expect any of us to understand?_ "I suppose you could stand to wait until you know for certain how and when you will be going."

"I've been thinking… about how to get home, I mean."

Sesshoumaru turned to face her again. "You have an idea?"

"It's a long shot, and even if it would work, I don't know how I'll do it, but –"

"What are you doing here?"

Vanessa jumped clear out of her seat at the new voice, and Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. When he chose this location, he had been counting on any youkai with an ounce of sense steering clear of his scent. Clearly, this individual did not possess a great deal of sense. Still, this one should have been upwind from them. Then in a voice like steel grating on steel to Sesshoumaru's ears, he spoke again.

"Well, are ya gonna answer me, or what?"

Sesshoumaru rose smoothly to his feet, and, with his hand resting easily on Tokijin, glared disdainfully at the intruder. "Good evening, Inuyasha."

A/N: So Inuyasha barged in on a nice, peaceful, if a bit awkward, evening. What do you think Vanessa was going to say? Well… I guess you'll have to wait. Hehe. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter… but it needed to be said. Sort of a transition chapter, I guess. There's some good stuff coming up soon (at least I hope you'll think it's good) so stick with me. You're awesome!

To all of you who read and reviewed THANK YOU!! I wanted to get that taken care of, but seriously – I really do appreciate the support of each and every one of you.

If anyone else doesn't get the updates and would like me to email them, just let me know.


	19. Worthless Blade

A/N 11/27/06: Fixed a few typos and added some minor details here and there

A/N: You're going to hate me…

Into the East

Chapter nineteen: Worthless Blade

Posted: 10 November 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

"Well, are ya gonna answer me, or what?"

Sesshoumaru rose smoothly to his feet, and, with his hand resting easily on Tokijin, glared disdainfully at the intruder. "Good evening, Inuyasha."

Vanessa watched the brothers stare each other down. For the moment, she thought it best not to interfere. Sesshoumaru, she trusted, but she wasn't so sure about Inuyasha. She was fairly certain that he wouldn't try to hurt her, not intentionally anyway. After all, Kagome trusted him with her life, but he did seem to have a temper and she didn't want to inadvertently increase the tension between the two.

As fate would have it, even in sleep, Rin seemed to have taken special notice of her lord's absence and sat up just when Vanessa thought sparks might fly between the brothers. She rubbed her eyes and yawned before mumbling, "S'shoumaru-sama?" Then she noticed Inuyasha and scrambled over to Vanessa, who put a protective arm around her. Together, they watched the brothers stare each other down.

Finally Inuyasha huffed and turned his nose up. "Keh, whatever. Just hurry up and move on."

"Why, Inuyasha, you have learned some self-control." Sesshoumaru smirked and seemed to enjoy the reaction he got from his half-brother.

"Argh! I'll show you self-control!"

Vanessa tensed and pulled Rin closer to her as Inuyasha reached for his sword, but before it ever left its scabbard, Sesshoumaru had the tip of Tokijin poised just under his chin. "Inuyasha," he warned, "Just as the last time we were here, we come only to speak with your miko. Restrain yourself."

"Inuyasha? Where did – Oh." Kagome broke through the thick shrubs, carrying her huge yellow backpack, and stopped short. Vanessa saw Sesshoumaru's eyes flick toward the miko, and then he stepped back, sheathing his sword. "What did you say to him?" Kagome hissed at Inuyasha.

"What? Nothing!" the hanyou sputtered indignantly. "I only asked him what he was doing here. Bastard was egging me on."

Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed angrily, but he kept his peace and resumed his seat beside Vanessa and Rin.

"Please try to stay calm, Inuyasha," Kagome said softly and laid her hand on his arm. Then more conversationally, she addressed Sesshoumaru, "So, Sesshoumaru… er… Sesshoumaru-sama, since you're already so close, why don't you come with us back to Kaede's?"

Sesshoumaru glanced over at Vanessa and Rin and shook his head. Rin was already drowsing again, now that the threat had gone, and somehow Jaken had slept through the entire thing. "No, we will stay here." Vanessa thought it might have been nice to have a bed and a roof, but it was a clear night and she knew how Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru felt about each other, so she kept quiet. Then Sesshoumaru turned to her wearing an odd expression. "If you would like to go… You may."

"Do you want to come back with us, Vanessa?" Kagome asked her in English.

Vanessa looked from one to the other, Kagome looking openly eager to spend some time with her again, while Sesshoumaru only watched her, revealing nothing. He had been that way since they left the palace. And then she glanced down at Rin. "If you don't mind," she said a little hesitantly, not quite sure whom she was addressing exactly, "I think I'll stay here for the night. We're already settled, but we'll catch up with you in the morning, right?" She turned to Sesshoumaru, and he nodded once.

"Okay! It's good to see you again, Vanessa. Come on Inuyasha, let's get going." The hanyou grumbled, but let himself be led away into the night.

"I wonder what they were doing out here," Vanessa thought aloud.

"The well," Sesshoumaru said and by the sound of it, thought he should have known better. "The well is that way," he said, pointing in the direction that Inuyasha and Kagome had come from.

"Oh." That would explain it. After all, they hadn't even checked to see if Kagome's group was back from their shard hunting.

"Vanessa," he said slowly, "why did you not wish to go with Kagome?"

She shrugged. How could she tell him that she wanted to spend just a few more hours alone with him… well, relatively alone, but the others were sleeping. He'd think she was being silly, a 'sentimental human,' but she couldn't make something up, he would know.

"I guess if I went there now, the fact that I'm leaving would seem more real." It was the truth, at least… part of it.

Sesshoumaru watched her for a while and finally took a deep breath. "You don't have to go. Clearly, this decision pains you. I can feel it." Almost as if he didn't realize he was doing it, his hand made its way to his chest, right over his heart, and Vanessa wondered for just a moment if there were more than just her feelings that he was sensing. "You have a place in my home," he continued, dropping his hand to his lap, "but if you do not wish to stay, I will not make you."

"Sesshoumaru, it's not that I _want_ to leave, not exactly."

"Then why?"

_Could I tell him that I l- No, of course not! Don't be silly._ "I have to go home. I've been here too long already. I don't expect you to understand my reasoning – I don't quite understand myself. It's just something I need to do. Please don't ask me any more than that."

He opened his mouth as if to say more, but then shook his head. If anything, his gaze became even stonier, and when he did finally speak, there was a hard edge to his voice. "Go to sleep," he said. "Tomorrow we find a way to send you home." And that was the end of the conversation.

Vanessa laid down on her bedroll and curled up around Rin. Now she just had to think of how to tell her that she was leaving. She fell into a restless sleep, but when she was gently shaken awake in the morning, she could remember nothing of what she dreamt.

"We will join them at their breakfast," Sesshoumaru said quietly and then roused the others. Vanessa yawned and stretched, and then got up to gather her things. Once everything was stowed on Ah-Un's back and they were about to leave, she stopped Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru? Could I have a few minutes alone with Rin?" He looked hesitant, probably considering whether or not to leave them alone in the woods, but she continued. "Ah-Un can find the way into the village, can't you?" she said, turning to the dragon, who nodded both heads.

"Very well. Jaken. Come."

"Hai, my lord!" the imp squawked and hurried after his master.

Vanessa watched them disappear into the foliage and knelt in front of Rin, who was looking up at her curiously. "Sweetie, I need to talk to you."

Rin's happy little smile fell along with Vanessa's heart. The older girl winced. She had used similar words to tell her about Sesshoumaru.

"What's wrong?" Rin asked warily.

"Nothing is wrong, not really, but I needed to tell you that I'm going to be leaving soon."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to try to go back to my home."

"Oh. So… when will you be back? You won't be gone long, right?"

Vanessa felt tears sting her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "I'm not sure if I will be able to come back," she responded thickly.

Rin stared at her, her lip quivering as realization set in. "B-but why? Don't you love us anymore?" Vanessa reached out to her, but she backed away. "No," Rin said. "Did we do something wrong? Did Sesshoumaru-sama tell you that you have to leave?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that. Sesshoumaru-sama told me that I could stay if I wanted to–"

"Then you don't want to stay with us?"

"That's not it either, Rin. I love you very much. You and Sesshoumaru." _And that's the problem._ "I wish I could stay with you, but I can't."

"Why?" This time when Vanessa reached out, Rin let herself be drawn into her embrace, and buried her face in her shoulder.

"It's time for me to go. There are people at home who are waiting for me. I don't belong here," Vanessa said.

"B-but you do. You belong right here with me and Sesshoumaru-sama."

"I wish that were true," she said softly while she stroked Rin's hair. It just wasn't as simple as Rin thought it was. Sesshoumaru would never love a human, and if Vanessa ever admitted how she felt to herself, how could she stay there, knowing he would never return her feelings? And then there was her family and Bryce. She hoped she was making the right choice.

"But if you leave, then we'll be waiting for you here. Don't go, please?" The little girl turned shining eyes on Vanessa, and she found that she had no answer to that. At least this time she'll be able to say good-bye.

Giving Rin one last squeeze, she lifted her up onto Ah-Un's back. "Let's go meet the others. I think some breakfast will make you feel a little better."

"I'm going to miss you, Nessa-neesan," Rin said miserably, as Vanessa climbed behind her.

"I'll miss you, too, Rin. All of you." She hugged Rin close and Ah-Un ambled his way toward the village.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru stepped back into the shadows as Ah-Un passed by. The dragon turned one head toward him for a moment, but continued on his path toward the village. He had heard every word, felt everything she did. It was low of him to eavesdrop, he knew, but Vanessa wouldn't give him a straight answer, and Rin hadn't fared much better, either. However, Vanessa did tell her that part of the reason she was leaving was for her family… and her fiancée. That man didn't deserve her. No one did, except… Sesshoumaru shook his head, banishing the thought. She did tell Rin that she loved him, though, but that didn't mean that she was _in_ love with him.

He growled to himself and started quickly for the village. What did he care whether she loved him or not? The warmth he felt at the very idea meant nothing. Besides, she was leaving. Even if she stayed, he couldn't love a human. His credibility as a ruler would vanish. His duty had to come first this time… even if it meant he would never see her again. He stopped for a moment. Vanessa was setting her duty first as well. She was choosing to honor her promise to a man over anything she might feel for Rin… or for him. She hadn't told Rin a single untruth. She did want to stay here. Sesshoumaru sped through the forest; he couldn't let Ah-Un get there before he did, or Vanessa might suspect.

As it happened, Ah-Un came into the village from a different angle than Sesshoumaru. Sometimes the taiyoukai wondered if there wasn't more to the two-headed beast than he let on. He closed himself to whatever he might have been feeling and crossed the open space surrounding the village to take Ah-Un's lead. Some of the villagers were growing anxious at seeing the twin-headed dragon, regardless of the two humans on his back, and he didn't want any more trouble with the village than he already had.

He led them to Kaede's hut, where Jaken was pacing, impatiently waiting for his master to arrive.

"Jaken, take Ah-Un into the forest and conceal him from these villagers. Wait with him there."

Once Rin, Vanessa, and their bags were removed, the imp hurried to obey. Sesshoumaru strode confidently into the hut, and held the door flap aside for the humans to enter.

"You're here!" Kagome cried and gave Vanessa a warm hug. "You're just in time for breakfast. Have a seat, we're almost finished."

Vanessa sat near the fire, and immediately Rin climbed onto her lap. Clearly she wanted to be as close to her 'Neesan' as possible for the time they had left. Sesshoumaru spared them a glance and moved to the back of the hut to take a seat away from the humans and his hanyou half-brother.

"Oi, Sesshoumaru."

He looked up to find Inuyasha smirking at him from the opposite wall. "Inuyasha."

"I heard a rumor about you not too long ago."

Sesshoumaru fought the urge to roll his eyes. "And what might this rumor be?"

"I heard that for a long time, you were, what's the right word… incapacitated?"

He knew where this was going and narrowed his eyes in warning, but Inuyasha didn't take the hint.

"From what I hear, when you finally did come to, you were weak as a day-old pup. How does it feel, Sesshoumaru? Knowing that even you might die? But that's not all I heard."

Sesshoumaru growled a warning this time, which was joined by Kagome's warning, "Inuyasha…" but Inuyasha's smirk only grew. He seemed to think he had his brother cornered.

"I also heard that you were stupid enough to open your doors to one of Naraku's spies, and that she –"

Faster than anyone could see, Sesshoumaru had a hand around Inuyasha's throat and slammed him against the wall. The back of his head bounced off the wood planks with a satisfying 'thunk,' but Sesshoumaru wasn't finished yet.

"Inuyasha!" "Sesshoumaru!" Kagome and Vanessa cried at the same time, but he ignored them.

"Finish that sentence, half-breed," he snarled, inches from Inuyasha's face, "say one more word and I will end your miserable existence right here, right now. Then, finally, our father's blood will be wiped clean. You think this Sesshoumaru is weak?" He dug his claws into the soft flesh of his half-brother's neck, not to kill, but enough to prove his point, and lifted him several inches off the floor. "Tell me again how weak I am," he growled dangerously low. "As for Naraku, his time will come." Sesshoumaru stared into Inuyasha's defiant eyes, daring him to speak, and reveling in the flicker of fear that passed briefly through them, only for an instant, but it was there nonetheless. He was vaguely aware of Inuyasha's companions reaching for their weapons, but it was a soft hand on his arm that brought him back to the moment.

"Sesshoumaru please let him go."

"You are not worth my time," he snarled at the hanyou and dropped him into a coughing heap on the floor before shaking off Vanessa's hand and storming out of the hut. Every eye bored a hole in his back as he left and knew that they were rethinking this shaky truce they had been entertaining. He knew that he should not have let Inuyasha agitate him, but he didn't care. He was angry with himself for falling into the very trap that Inuyasha spoke of, and angry with himself for growing so attached to Vanessa, only to have her tell him she was leaving with barely an explanation. Inuyasha was the easiest and most convenient target for that pent up anger. He brought it upon himself, really. The hanyou should know by now not to provoke him.

"Sesshoumaru?" He sighed; he really didn't want to talk at the moment, but if it had to be anyone… Sesshoumaru turned to see Vanessa stepping warily through the underbrush, and was a little surprised at how far he had gone from the hut. "Are you okay?"

He turned back to the direction he had been facing, and didn't say anything.

"They tried to stop me from following you. They said you were dangerous and shouldn't be trusted." She stepped around him and forced him to look at her.

"Then why did you?" he asked finally. Why did this human do anything that she did?

"I don't know… because I care, and I do trust you."

Sesshoumaru watched his own hand seem to take on a mind of its own and reach out to trace the curls around Vanessa's face. She smiled up and him, and he snatched his hand away, glaring over her shoulder into the trees behind her. "I let my anger get the better of me," he admitted, and was surprised to hear her huff. When he focused on her again, she had her arms crossed over her chest and pouted angrily.

"Well, Inuyasha shouldn't have said those things. That was downright mean."

She looked so… dare he think it? … adorable, that he _almost_ broke down and laughed at her indignation. He couldn't suppress the twitch in his lips, but she didn't seem to notice. She appeared to be imagining just what she would like to do to the hanyou for his rudeness. Slowly, Sesshoumaru got himself back under control. All it really took was the thought that she was leaving… leaving him, and the mask wasn't so hard to put back on.

"You should go back or they'll wonder what unthinkable things I've done to you."

She smiled. "Come with me? We are here for a reason, after all, and we won't get anything done with you moping out here." Sesshoumaru scowled at her, but her smile only broadened into a grin. "You are way too easy to tease. Come on!" she said and suddenly grabbed his hand, tugging him back toward the hut.

For several steps, he could only stare dazedly at their joined hands before, again, his took on a mind of its own and closed his fingers around hers. She seemed just as surprised as he was at his actions and looked over her shoulder at him, and then she smiled. Far too quickly, and yet not nearly quickly enough, the edge of the forest came into view and Vanessa released him, understanding him far better than he could have hoped. Not another word passed between them as they entered the hut, but Sesshoumaru caught her glare directed at Inuyasha, and his heart warmed a bit. _Let someone take care of you…_ her voice echoed in his mind, but he denied it. He didn't need anyone to 'take care' of him.

The others eyed him warily, appearing ready to reach for their weapons with less than a moment's notice, but Sesshoumaru walked silently to the wall he had previously occupied and sat, closing his eyes as if there wasn't an ounce of tension in the air.

Slowly, movement began again and breakfast was served. He politely declined, but watched Rin and Vanessa eagerly dig into their portions. Kagome's eyes repeatedly flicked from Vanessa to him and she wore a knowing smile, then Sesshoumaru caught her eye and narrowed his. She turned her attention back to her food then, but that smile never left her face. _What is she thinking?_ Sesshoumaru wondered to himself. It was a little unnerving.

Finally everyone had eaten their fill and Kagome was directing everyone in cleaning up. Sesshoumaru was watching the proceedings with calculated disinterest when suddenly Kagome froze. She had been drying a bowl and very nearly dropped it. No one else seemed to notice; they were too focused on getting the cleaning done so that they could get started on more enjoyable activities.

"Miko, what troubles you?" he said, and she jumped out of her daze to look at him.

"It's… I had to be sure… I sense a jewel shard coming this way." That got everyone's attention. All eyes turned to her to see what else she had to say. "I thought, at first, that it was several demons with shards, but there aren't that many left, not enough to account for the amount of power I feel coming. I think Naraku is on his way here, and he's brought the jewel with him."

"Naraku? What's he doing thinking he can show his face here?" Inuyasha demanded.

The monk rose and picked up his staff. "I'll go warn the villagers to stay inside. How long would you say before he gets here, Kagome?"

"I… I'm not sure. He's coming quickly… but not as fast as Kouga."

"He knows Kagome can sense the jewel," Sesshoumaru said, drawing questioning eyes to himself, and fought the urge to roll his own. "Isn't it strange that he didn't simply spirit himself here as he has done in the past? He wants us to know that he is coming." He frowned for a moment. _Could it be that he wants _me_ to know that he is coming?_

Sesshoumaru stood abruptly and started for the door. "Rin, Vanessa. Come with me," he said and then turned to Kagome. "Unless you wish for the young kitsune to be a part of this battle, I suggest that he come with me as well."

Shippou hopped onto Kagome's shoulder at the first mention of Naraku, and now he eyed Sesshoumaru warily. "Go on, Shippou. Rin and Vanessa will need someone to watch over them when Sesshoumaru-sama comes back… That is… you will help us, won't you, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

He nodded once. "I will do my part." He couldn't stand by when Vanessa and Rin might be caught in the cross-fire, and he would not run away from Naraku.

The kitsune still looked apprehensive, but he looked from Vanessa to Rin and back to Kagome before finally making up his mind and hopping from Kagome's shoulder to Vanessa's. She staggered momentarily under his sudden weight, but gave him a smile and a pat on the head before following Sesshoumaru out the door. "We'll be okay, Kagome," she reassured Shippou's surrogate mother.

Sesshoumaru followed the scent trail of Jaken and Ah-Un to where they waited just inside the trees. It was as good a place as any, as long as they remained quiet and unseen. "You still have the blade?" he asked Vanessa. She nodded. "If you should need to use it, do not be frightened, but Jaken and Ah-Un should be able to handle anything that gets this far."

"I can help, too!" Shippou chimed. Sesshoumaru said nothing. The young kitsune may have mastered a few tricks and illusions, but he was no nine-tails, not yet. But it would get them nowhere to discourage him so he kept his silence.

"Stay here, and stay hidden. No matter what you see or hear, under no circumstances are you to leave this place until I come for you. Is that understood?" Shippou, Rin, and Vanessa all nodded.

By this time Sesshoumaru was able to detect faint traces of Naraku's miasma on the wind. It wouldn't be long now. "Jaken," he said as he approached, "Naraku is on his way here. You and Ah-Un are to watch over these three. If anything should happen to them…" He didn't have to finish the threat; he knew that Jaken knew that a punishment of certain pain and possibly death awaited him if he failed.

Sesshoumaru turned and was about to go back to the others when he felt a tug on his empty sleeve. Vanessa clutched the silk as though she were holding his hand – he almost wished that she were. _Now is not the time for such thoughts,_ he told himself harshly. "What is it?"

She glanced over her shoulder briefly and then looked up at him. "I don't know much about Naraku, but if he's the one behind… if he…" she stammered, seemingly unable to voice her concern. "Just be careful, okay? He can't be happy that you escaped him last time."

He stared at her. Suddenly he had the strangest feeling that he wasn't going to see her again. _Ridiculous._ But he nodded. "Stay here, until I come for you," he said again, promising without words that he would return. She finally released his sleeve and he continued on his way back to Kaede's hut, shaking off the odd feeling and setting aside his concern for his humans. He had to trust in Jaken and Ah-Un's abilities to protect them; he couldn't afford to divide his attention.

"He is not far off," Sesshoumaru said as he approached the waiting group of fighters. Inuyasha grunted and muttered something about stating the obvious. He ignored his half-brother and assessed the situation.

Kagome had a full quiver on her back and clutched her bow a bit nervously, but she stood her ground. The monk and taijiya stood on either side of the transformed fire cat, all of them appearing as if they had awaited this day for a very long time. Finally, Sesshoumaru's eyes fell on Inuyasha. His half-brother's hand rested lightly on Tetsusaiga, the sword that should have been Sesshoumaru's, but his face was set in determination. He meant to avenge the dead priestess, but could he? True, the hanyou had grown in strength and skill since acquiring Tetsusaiga, but would it be enough?

Three humans, a fire cat and a hanyou, a far cry from any battle team Sesshoumaru had yet worked with, but they were all he had on such short notice. What had happened to the days when he would have taken on Naraku with nothing more than his skill with a sword? Did he really need to concern himself with these others? He should order them out and fight Naraku himself. After all, this was his fight.

He was fairly certain that the hanyou was coming for him, and it simply coincidence that he chose to make his presence known when he was in the company of Inuyasha and his friends. Perhaps Naraku had grown overconfident with his increasing number of jewel shards and hoped to take them all out at once. Sesshoumaru wouldn't let that happen. This time, his attacks would hit home. This time, the fight would be personal. "Naraku is mine," he growled.

"Like hell he is!" Inuyasha exploded, joined by cautious, but equally heated objections from the others. It would seem that they all had 'personal' reasons for wanting Naraku dead.

"Then we work together. Do as I say and you stand a better chance of defeating Naraku than any of you do alone."

"Who died and made you the boss?"

Sesshoumaru turned a sharp eye on his brother. "More youkai than you can hope to have killed in your pathetic lifetime." One would think Inuyasha sometimes forgot who his elder brother really was.

"Well, I won't take orders from a bastard like you."

"Inuyasha, I think we should listen to him," Kagome said quietly, trying to calm the hanyou.

"What? Now you're siding with _him_?"

"I'm not siding with anyone, Inuyasha. We need to work together. Sesshoumaru has seen all of us fight. He knows what we can do. Do you really think he could have held the Western lands for as long as he has if he didn't have at least some tactical knowledge?" She flashed Sesshoumaru an apologetic look at her wording, but he ignored it.

"Inuyasha," the monk broke in, "Naraku won't expect us to follow Sesshoumaru-sama. He knows how you two feel about each other."

"This might be the change we need to finally defeat him," the taijiya put in.

"Keh, fine, but if you even think about sacrificing one of my friends, you'll have hell to pay, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru ignored the threat and began discussing battle plans with their few remaining minutes. Ultimately it came down to separating Naraku from any detachments or other youkai, and opening him up to attack. He would have liked a few more minutes at least so solidify a plan, but time waits for no man – or youkai, in this case. Their hasty plan would just have to do.

The air grew rank with stench of Naraku's miasma. From the far end of the empty main street, Sesshoumaru saw a lone, dark figure approaching, and drew Tokijin. Kagome nocked an arrow and prepared to draw her bow. Sango shifted the weight of Hiraikotsu on her back. Prayer beads clinked together as Miroku readied himself to open his Kazaana. Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga, and with a whoosh it transformed into the fang of their father. They were tensed and ready, a rag-tag group, to be sure, but they fought well together. Sesshoumaru could only hope that their spirit made up for their shortcomings.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Naraku drawled when he finally came to a halt before the small band of fighters. "You've finally come out of hiding. I was wondering when I would see you again. We have some… unfinished business."

Sesshoumaru felt the others shifting around him, probably wondering what 'business' he had with Naraku. He left them and stepped forward to face his opponent. "I have no business with you, except to wipe your presence from this world," he said evenly.

"Oh, but you do," Naraku countered with a dark chuckle, crossing his arms over his chest and standing as relaxed as if there weren't five other people forming a loose arc around them, ready to tear him to shreds. "I want to know how you did it. My plan was foolproof, and you escaped. How?"

"What's he talking about?" Inuyasha demanded, but Sesshoumaru ignored him. Apparently he didn't know as much about that 'rumor' as he thought he did.

"Enough of this foolishness," he said, tightening his grip on Tokijin.

"Sesshoumaru, Sesshoumaru," Naraku patronized, "You're hiding things from me again. You know how I dislike that."

Sudden memories of tortures within his dreams came to mind, but Sesshoumaru glared at Naraku, refusing to be swayed by mere memory. If Naraku thought that would be enough to cow him into submission, he was sorely mistaken. He knew one world from the other and Naraku did not have _that_ power in this one.

Naraku took his crimson gaze from Sesshoumaru and slowly slid from one to another in the small group, searching for something. Realization hit like a boulder; Naraku was looking for Vanessa. He didn't know it yet, but she was the key to his escape from the trap. Sesshoumaru kept his expression neutral and his thoughts carefully away from everything to do with Vanessa or her hiding place, and willed the others to do the same. He watched Naraku intently, waiting for any sign that he knew.

Finally the hanyou locked eyes with Sesshoumaru once more, blood red warring with gold. "That human I saw the last time you were out of your palace," Naraku said almost thoughtfully, "where is she? And the little one?"

Sesshoumaru held his tongue. One word, one denial would be all that Naraku needed to know that they might still be around somewhere. He willed the others not to give anything away, but despite his efforts, the hanyou seemed able to read exactly what he hadn't said. An evil smile split his face. "She is here, isn't she? I find it curious that you kept her around. I wonder where she is…"

"I'm tired of waiting! Kaze no Kizu!" For once, Sesshoumaru was thankful for Inuyasha's brashness. He diverted Naraku's attention from his search for Vanessa, however briefly. Unfortunately, once his barrier had harmlessly deflected the waves of power, Naraku ordered his attack. The sky darkened with the arrival of his weak, but numerous youkai, and wave upon wave of them surged toward them.

Hiraikotsu flew, ripping youkai to shreds by the dozen. Inuyasha sought the Kaze no Kizu, time and again. Miroku's Kazaana devoured countless youkai, but always warily. So far Naraku had not released his Saimyoushou, negating that particular attack, but that didn't mean he never would. Kagome's arrows whizzed through the air, disintegrating every youkai in their path. Sesshoumaru unleashed his Kenatsu, blue streaks criss-crossing with the yellow power of Inuyasha's Kaze no Kizu in their paths of destruction. Souryuuha, the Dragon Strike, would be wasted on the likes of these, but the time to use that technique would come soon enough.

Despite all of their long-range attacks, youkai surged in and among them. They were easily cut down, but their numbers seemed hardly to diminish. All the while, Naraku stood back and watched, hovering just above the battle in a spherical barrier. Before long, Sesshoumaru heard a sound that he had been dreading since the start: a roar from behind him that could only be Ah-Un. _So he has found them,_ he thought grimly, but he heard the crackle and felt the tingle that signified Ah-Un's use of his blue lightning attack. He spun to strike down a youkai foolishly attacking him from behind and as his gaze passed over the hiding place, he saw the twin-headed dragon in the air, striking down youkai before they could reach the trees. But they were forcing him back, away from the ones he was trying to protect. Below, bouts of fire erupted between the trees, proving that Jaken was doing his part as well.

Sesshoumaru opened himself up momentarily to his link with Vanessa and found her fear, and anxiety, but not terror. She wasn't afraid for her life, not yet. _Far too trusting._ But, for the moment, they were as safe as they could be. Immediately he squashed his sense of _her_ into the corners of his consciousness and returned to the task at hand. Slowly, the horde was falling under their attacks, but they were tiring. Sesshoumaru was hardly winded, but he knew the humans would not have his endurance. If they hoped to fight Naraku to the end, something had to be done about all of these weak youkai.

Then, as if in response to Sesshoumaru's unspoken want, Naraku called off the demons. Immediately the attacks ceased, but those that had driven Ah-Un away continued to hold him at bay. The dragon snarled at them, darting over and around them, trying desperately to return to his charges, but it was no use.

"Finally ready to fight us yourself?" Inuyasha called up to their opponent.

He returned to the ground and strode calmly toward the group until he was about ten paces away. "Sesshoumaru, I still want your power," he said, and then he smirked. "And I think I might know a way to get it."

Suddenly, thick tentacles sprouted from Naraku's back. They seemed to be everywhere at once. For every one hacked off, it seemed that two more appeared in its place, and no one seemed able to get a clean shot at him. _Is this how he intends to defeat us? By overpowering us with limbs?_ Sesshoumaru thought as he sliced through yet another green-brown appendage.

The air was growing thick with Naraku's miasma, each cut to his body releasing more of the foul-smelling mist. Only Kagome's purifying arrows protected her and the monk from its poison. They couldn't continue like this. Still, he continued to slice through the limbs and tried to work his way closer to Naraku himself. Inuyasha unleashed his Kaze no Kizu once or twice, but gave that up after it broke harmlessly against the barrier. _What are you planning?_

It seemed pointless for Naraku to simply throw his tentacles at them, unless he meant to smother them with miasma, but that didn't seem to get him anywhere either. Between Sesshoumaru's immunity, Sango's mask and Kagome's purifying arrows, the miasma was a nuisance at best. Both sides were effectively at a standstill. Sesshoumaru and the rest were cutting down every attack and Naraku seemed to refuse to do anything that would bring him outside his barrier. It didn't make sense. What was he missing?

Just then a startled cry sounded from the direction of the forest. _Rin. Vanessa._ Sesshoumaru was about to turn when a severed tentacle retracted past him, cut cleanly as though with a sharp blade. _Good girl,_ he praised, but something was wrong. How did Naraku get so far past all of them without notice? He was only distracting them, Sesshoumaru realized, targeting the weakest of the party.

"Surrender to me, and your humans might survive," Naraku offered smugly. "Continue to defy me and I will kill them where they stand."

Sesshoumaru growled. Naraku didn't know him as well as he thought he did. He would do whatever he could to protect Rin and Vanessa, but on his terms, and bargaining with the half-breed didn't fit into his plan. Flames erupted from within the trees and more burned and severed tentacles pulled out. Jaken could still fight, and as long as he had breath in his small body, he would defend his charges and give the others the time they needed.

Sesshoumaru darted to the side, where several more of Naraku's appendages were making their way toward the forest and sliced cleanly through them, but just as they slithered away to regenerate, a dozen or more shot past him into the trees, and more followed after them. He couldn't cut through them fast enough to keep them away from Rin and Vanessa, and if he left that task to go to them, Naraku would have them in an instant. Where were the others? Couldn't they see the danger to their kitsune? But sharp glance out of the corner of his eye told him that they were holding Naraku back just as desperately as he was.

They needed to regroup. They needed to break through Naraku's barrier. They needed… More flames lit up the trees, and then Jaken came tumbling out into the clearing. He struggled to get up and then lay still. Naraku laughed, and Sesshoumaru began to see red even before Vanessa's scream rent the air, a cry of pain and fear that made time seem to stand still. Even before the last echo had died, Sesshoumaru was striding quickly to face Naraku once more.

"Vanessa!" the miko screamed and moved to run to her. Ah-Un gave a draconic roar of rage, but still he was held back.

"Stay where you are!" Sesshoumaru barked. All eyes suddenly turned to him.

"What?!" seemed to be the general reaction from them. Couldn't they see? This was what Naraku wanted. Together they might break through that blasted jewel-enhanced barrier and finally end this. Sesshoumaru was loath to admit it, but if they separated, no matter how pathetic an excuse for a half-demon coward Naraku was, they wouldn't get past that barrier.

"Do not move from your positions," he repeated evenly.

"You heartless… Vanessa is hurt! She could die!" _You think I don't know that?_ He wanted to run to her himself, but he couldn't. Not yet.

"This is not over yet. First, finish him, then tend to the wounded." He could feel her glare and the spike of her aura, but he would not be swayed. This was the way it had to be.

"So…" Naraku sneered, "Have I been misled? Do you not care for the humans? Vanessa, is it? And the girl-child?"

"This ends here, half-breed."

"You really think that you can defeat me, _Lord_ Sesshoumaru? I thought you would have realized by now. You are weak." A tentacle slowly retracted past him, taunting him; the tip was red and glistening. It was blood, Vanessa's blood. He scented the air to be certain, but he already knew. Sesshoumaru's chest suddenly felt tight – he couldn't breathe, and for just a moment, a red haze fell over his vision, but he forced all of that into a tight ball. The rage, the fear, everything that went with it was crushed down to a marble. _I. Am. _Not._ Weak,_ he told himself, and glanced to his left to catch Inuyasha's eye.

To his credit, Inuyasha seemed to understand the silent cue and nodded. In his next breath, he unleashed his Bakuryuha. Not a moment later, a glowing arrow, infused with both the powers of Kagome and a sutra from the monk, shot through the whirlwind, combining spiritual powers with youki in a swirling, glowing vortex. Sesshoumaru, hadn't expected Kagome to join in, much less use the monk's power with her own, but if it helped break the barrier… Finally, he called Souryuuha to join with it, putting into the attack every ounce of the rage he had smothered. The attacks combined to form an awesome funnel, swirling throughout with blue lightning and glowing holy power, and it headed straight for a very surprised looking Naraku, crashing into his barrier.

Naraku's barrier cracked and broke, opening him up to their combined attack. Clearly, this was not something he had anticipated. He was hurt, badly, and seemed barely able to hold himself together when it was over, but with the power of the jewel, he formed another, stronger barrier and spirited himself away before they could finish him. "Coward," Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat, and then more loudly, "This will not be the last we see of him."

"Is it ever?" Miroku countered where he knelt wearily beside Sango. She was battered, and exhausted, but she let the monk tend to her as long as he didn't – SMACK!

"Hentai," she muttered.

Kagome took just a moment to watch the youkai flee after their master before sprinting to the place where Vanessa should have been safe and hidden. Sesshoumaru spun on his heel and strode after her. Ah-Un was already there, standing over her fallen form, sniffing her and keening mournfully. Before Kagome reached her side, the taiyoukai called out to her. "Do not touch her." The miko paused and turned back to him.

"But she's–"

"Do not touch her." Must he constantly repeat himself with these people? His long strides quickly overtook her and brought him to the fallen woman's side. Ah-Un stepped aside and left, returning shortly with Jaken's limp form. He was breathing, Sesshoumaru noted absently before focusing his attention on Vanessa. The ground beneath her was damp with her blood, and he tried to remain calm, to quiet his pounding heart. It felt as though someone had run him through with a dagger, and twisted it inside him with each passing moment. A jagged wound betrayed the tentacle's path into her body. She was half-curled on her side and lying awkwardly… He placed his hand on her shoulder to roll her onto her back, and had to fight the urge to recoil from how cold she felt already, but before he could so much as shift her weight, a blue flame erupted in his face.

"Get away!" Shippou yelled from where his head was buried under Vanessa's arm, eliciting a growl from the taiyoukai.

"Kit, mind yourself."

The kitsune stiffened and slowly raised his head. "S-Sesshoumaru? Kagome!" he cried and launched himself into the miko's arms.

Sesshoumaru ignored them and turned his attention back to Vanessa, this time rolling her over unhindered. Her hand, which always seemed warm, even in the rain, was like ice when it brushed his knee, but that wasn't what made him freeze where he knelt. Rin was curled up with her arms over her head and her eyes squeezed shut in a small dip in the ground, right where Vanessa had been lying. A small whimper escaped her and Sesshoumaru released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. _She… she shielded her… with her own body._

"Rin," he said evenly, betraying nothing of the sense of loss that he felt.

The girl flinched, but then sat up, looking around as though in a daze. When her eyes fell on Vanessa, however, she gasped and darted to her side, frantically shaking her shoulder.

"Neesan! Wake up… You have to wake up!" But she wouldn't. Sesshoumaru knew that she couldn't – she had given herself to save Rin. Why would she do such a thing? Rin was not her child. He stood and glanced at Kagome while she comforted the distraught kitsune. _Like mother and son…_ Rin called Vanessa 'Neesan,' but did she really see her as 'Kaasan'? Her mother? Perhaps Vanessa felt the same. What other explanation could there be for what she did? _Then why does… did… she want to leave?_ he asked himself, desperately trying to understand.

Sesshoumaru returned his focus to the woman at his feet, resting his hand on Tenseiga, and stared down at her. She looked at peace, as though she were merely sleeping. There was no evidence of pain or fear in her face. Only the blood gave away what had happened. He glanced down at his hand on Tenseiga and realized that he was still awaiting the pulse that would signal its intent to bring her back. He frowned, but then his concentration was interrupted by the miko. "You! If you had gone to her sooner, she wouldn't have died," she accused. "We could have done something to save her!"

"If I had gone to her sooner, you all might have died," he responded evenly, betraying nothing of his inner turmoil. He didn't turn, but instead looked down on Rin, who had left Vanessa and buried her face in the silk of his hakama. Had he sacrificed her? Was there anything he could have done?

"Don't you care? After all this time that she's been with you, don't you care that she's gone?" Kagome cried, tears spilling down her cheeks.

She was human. He wasn't supposed to care any more about whether she died than any other of her race. But he did. He wanted to turn back time and keep her from ever coming to this village, to persuade her to stay. She may not have been happy, but she would have been alive. "Miko, do not presume to know the mind of this Sesshoumaru," he said with a snarl that he wasn't sure was directed at her or himself.

"Then why did you stop us? We could have done something!"

Sesshoumaru glared at her and then down at the sword under his hand. Tenseiga still had not pulsed. Why? She did not deserve to die, not here, not now, and certainly not like this. Surely the sword knew that. This was not her era, how could it have been her destiny to die here? _'I like to think I have some control over what happens to me,'_ her voice echoed in his mind. So if destiny wasn't what triggered Tenseiga… what then? _What are you waiting for, Tenseiga?_ _What do you want?_ Sesshoumaru unsheathed the blade of Heaven and held it up in front of his face. Closing his eyes, he projected his thoughts to his father's fang, _Hear me, Tenseiga. Never have I asked anything of you, but now I implore you, return to me the life of this mortal woman._

Nothing. He asked – he asked nicely, even pleaded with the blade. What more would it take? Sesshoumaru snapped his eyes open and snarled at his father's sword. "Worthless blade! Heed my command!" He ignored to looks his outburst earned him. He didn't care – the guilt that the miko had accused him of weighed heavily on him. Guilt… Something he could not remember feeling before Vanessa came into his world, but now she was gone. He knew she was leaving, but not like this… She didn't even say good-bye.

Could he have done something different and still ensured that they would all have lived to see the end of the battle? Could Vanessa have been saved? He decided that it didn't matter now. What's done was done, and there was nothing he could do now to change it. His only concern at the moment was the woman at his feet and the unresponsive blade in his hand. She was the only female of any race in centuries to catch even a glimpse of the key to his heart, and he fought tooth and nail against the idea that she would not come back to him.

A/N: Oh dear… what have I done?

On a completely unrelated note, it has come to my attention that I 'need' to put something in my profile… so I did. Check it out


	20. Finding a Way

A/N: First, thank you to **PaintedBlue47** for reading through this mess and giving me a few pointers. You rock!

Also, if you haven't seen it already, check my check my deviantART account (http:// earthtome001. deviantart. com – remove spaces –) for a picture of Sesshoumaru, Rin and Vanessa all together. That, and some old drawings I did of Sesshoumaru.

Into the East

Chapter twenty: Finding a Way

Posted: 27 November 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

"_Worthless blade! Heed my command!"_

Those gathered around Sesshoumaru murmured amongst themselves. They were like so many flies buzzing around him, when all he wanted was a bit of peace to figure out what to do next. Of course, they hadn't heard him beg the sword to bring Vanessa back. They wouldn't have known what that little outburst was about, except that there was a dead woman lying at his feet and that the sword that could raise one hundred dead would not bring this one human back to life. He wanted to throw the sword away. The one time he actually wanted to bring someone back, without the guise of testing its powers, Tenseiga refused. Instead, he simply lowered the blade and let the tip fall into the dirt.

She was gone. Sesshoumaru didn't want her to die. Somehow, in some way he didn't fully understand, he needed her by his side. Tenseiga could bring her back, but it defied him. Why? The last echoes of his outburst faded into the forest. He felt a presence behind him.

Sesshoumaru said nothing and continued to stare down at Vanessa. Kagome seemed to watch him for a moment then she had the audacity to _touch_ him. She briefly put her hand on his arm. Certainly it was meant as a comforting gesture, but… how dare she? He was about to turn a glare on her when Rin spoke up from his side.

"I already miss her, Sesshoumaru-sama," she said miserably.

He looked down at her. Rin had seen far too much death in her young life. She had died herself! _Why, Tenseiga?_ She wrapped her arms around his knee and fell silent again. Sesshoumaru didn't know what possessed him to do it in front of so many others, but he sheathed Tenseiga and put his hand on her head, brushing her hair back and tucking it behind her ear.

"So do I, Rin," he said softly, barely a whisper, but the words were no sooner out of his mouth, than he felt… something. It was almost like a soft hum, coming from somewhere nearby, everywhere and nowhere at once, and it was growing in intensity.

"What is that?" Inuyasha asked. So, it wasn't his imagination, but Inuyasha's question echoed through his own thoughts as well. Abruptly it stopped, only to be replaced by a throb from his hip. It was faint, but… could it be? _Tenseiga?_

Sesshoumaru gently pushed Rin aside and drew the sword. It was glowing, and only grew brighter each time it pulsed, falling into a cadence with his own heartbeat. What had he done? What caused Tenseiga to suddenly respond? He shoved those questions aside as momentarily unimportant, looked down at Vanessa once more, and hoped… There! He could see them – the messengers from the Underworld come to take her soul away. She wasn't gone yet.

Angrily he cut through them, condemning them for their attempt to take her away. And then there was nothing to do but wait. It seemed to take a lifetime, but then he heard her heart flutter back to life. It beat weakly, struggling to return the flow of blood to her veins, but it grew stronger with each beat until a sudden gasp refilled her lungs. Sesshoumaru's mind reeled as her presence reasserted itself in his consciousness. He hadn't expected that; shouldn't their connection have been permanently severed with her death? She still hadn't opened her eyes.

"Vanessa," he said gently, but commanding a response. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and she stared unseeing into the air above her for a moment, then her pools of violet cast about before locking onto his gold. Recognition set in and she frowned up at him. "S-Sesshoumaru?" She put a hand to her forehead. "What happened?" she asked, but before anyone could answer, she gasped and tried to sit up and cried frantically, "Rin! Where is Rin? Shippou?"

Immediately Sesshoumaru dropped to one knee beside her and grabbed her shoulder. "Calm yourself. Rin and Shippou are unharmed." Rin stared in awe by his shoulder, and Vanessa's eyes flicked up to her.

"Oh," she said with a sigh, and then fainted dead away. Sesshoumaru caught her quickly, and his moment of panic vanished when he saw that she was only unconscious. He could still feel her in the back of his mind, which puzzled him as much as it reassured him. He stood and backed away before turning to Kagome, who was watching intently next to Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango.

"Take her inside and change her clothes," he told Kagome and Sango, and gave the males, particularly that monk, a look that told them they would wish for death by the time he was through with them, should they even think of going anywhere near the building before she was dressed.

"She'll be alright then?" the miko asked, stepping up to him.

"Yes."

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Your gratitude means nothing," he said coldly before turning abruptly and striding into the forest, "This was not done for you." Rin followed him, and he paused just inside the trees and turned to her. "Rin. Go with them. Watch over Vanessa and help Lady Kaede."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. Will you come back soon?"

"I will return."

"Okay!" With that she ran back to join the others.

Sesshoumaru walked until even he could no longer hear the sounds of the village, and then he walked some more. He needed to be alone. He needed to think. When he decided he was far enough not to be disturbed, he stopped and leaned back against a tree. Tenseiga was finally returned to its sheath, but once released from its grip, he found his hand was shaking. He clenched his fist angrily to make it stop. _Weak,_ he snarled at himself within his mind. One human. The death of one human should not affect him.

But it did. He fought it, fought the realization that he had already come to, that she meant something to him. He could no longer claim indifference. The image of Vanessa lying still in the grass, covered in her own blood, kept invading his thoughts. He almost lost them both today. If Vanessa hadn't been there to protect Rin, what might have happened? Would it have been Rin lying in her place? What then? Tenseiga had already brought her back once… would it revive her again? He had to admit that he actually knew very little of his father's sword. And now, what if something else happened to Vanessa? In the past month, she had been attacked while in his home, under his protection, and killed within the alleged safety of Inuyasha's village. If she went home… If she left, as was her plan, she would be safe from the dangers of this time. He growled and pushed himself off the tree, shaking his head and starting back for the village. The sooner she found her way home, the better.

Sesshoumaru arrived back at Kaede's hut a great deal calmer, but no less troubled than he had left. When he stepped into the dim interior, all conversation ceased. Rin and Shippou were playing quietly in the corner, but to the rest he gave a cold glare. Paranoid though it may be, he guessed that he was the subject of discussion that so abruptly ended with his entrance. And why not? After all, wasn't he the heartless, icy lord of the West, and hadn't he been showing an unusual amount of concern for others recently? For humans no less! _Humans…_

He ignored them and their strange looks, and sat near to where Vanessa was sleeping; she still had not awoken. It didn't concern him yet, but he watched her for a moment nonetheless, though only for a moment. There was no need to give them more reason to talk. Sesshoumaru occupied his thoughts with watching Rin and Shippou play. They both seemed to have recovered remarkably well after witnessing what had happened to Vanessa and were drawing pictures with the colored wax sticks from Kagome's time. Jaken was supervising.

They were hiding the images from the imp, and Jaken was trying to see exactly what they were giggling about. Shippou snatched his paper away from prying green claws, inadvertently displaying his work for Sesshoumaru, who was a bit amused to note that the subject of the children's drawings was a small peculiar green figure undergoing any number of humiliating acts – including, but not limited to, being buried under a heap of flowers and being carried like a pup in the jaws of a twin-headed dragon.

Dinner came and went; Sesshoumaru refused their food once more, and everyone was getting ready to bed down after an exhausting day when a gasp and near hysterical whimpering brought everyone but the taiyoukai lord to their feet. He watched. He wanted to go to her, to push the others away and comfort her, but he could only sit, barely a pace away, and watch. Then their eyes met and for a moment time stood still.

VvVvVvVvV

Vanessa opened her eyes and saw a rough wooden ceiling above her, but something about that didn't seem quite right. When had she fallen asleep, anyway? She struggled to remember where she was and why she was there, and then everything came back in a rush. With a gasp, she sat bolt upright and frantically pulled away the front of her kimono, which, her frantic mind noted absently, was not the same one she had dressed in that morning.

Her hands searched what her eyes couldn't see as she felt her back for the wound she knew she had received from that disgusting green-brown tentacle. She heard some sound, a pitiful, desperate sound and realized it was coming from her. The doctor in her told her that she probably shouldn't be moving after being run through with something like that, but she had to know. Once more, she pulled away the front of her kimono to find the place where she had seen that… that _thing_ sprout from the left side of her chest. In the dim light she could just make out a pale, round, silvery scar that she couldn't remember seeing before. Just how long had she been asleep for it to heal so completely??

She had seen the tentacles racing toward Rin. Without a second thought, she jumped in front of the girl and crouched over her. She didn't know why, or what she hoped to accomplish, only that she couldn't let them have her. After the momentary shock of seeing something foreign coming from within her left, it _hurt_. It hurt unlike anything she had ever experienced, but at the same time as the pain, came the realization that it didn't come from _within_ her, but _through_ her. And then it pulled out. If she thought being pierced by the thing was bad, it was nothing to what it felt to have it remove itself. It felt as though it spread itself out to grate on every nerve as it passed by, and she screamed. That much she remembered, and she practically fell on top of Rin. The girl had tried to move away, but Vanessa held onto her, telling her on ragged breaths to stay down and hide, that if she got up and ran those tentacle things would find her.

Rin had buried her head under her arms and squeezed her eyes shut, and that's when her memory failed her. She remembered feeling light headed with blood loss, and she remembered that the pain never went away. With every breath she took, every desperate beat of her heart to refill her veins with lost blood, white-hot pain coursed through her body. But now, as she noticed that there was no pain and peered down at her skin, which barely showed a scar to prove the events true, she wondered if it had all been a dream. Suddenly she was aware of everyone crowding around her. Kagome had been speaking to her, and she hadn't even noticed.

Vanessa looked up into all of their faces, searching for one in particular and not finding it until she looked to her right. Their eyes locked and there was something unreadable in his expression, something she had never seen, but before she could question him or find out exactly what it was, Kagome took her hand and drew her attention away. When she looked back, he was gone, the swaying door flap being the only evidence that he hadn't simply disappeared.

"I had the most awful dream," she said, bringing a hand up to her forehead, but even as she saw the others glance at one another, she felt that it hadn't all been a dream. She had woken up once before, outside in the grass, and everyone was standing around her, just as they were now. Sesshoumaru was the closest and had been holding a sword, one of the pair that he always kept at his waist. That same look was in his eyes when she asked about Rin. _"Rin and Shippou are unharmed."_

"It wasn't a dream," Vanessa whispered finally. "But how did I heal so quickly? I thought I was a goner, but now I hardly even have a scar." They looked at one another again.

"You didn't. We got to you too late," Kagome said gently.

"What do you mean?" Vanessa asked warily, not quite willing to believe what she thought she was trying to tell her.

"You were hurt so badly. We were too late, but Sesshoumaru brought you back."

Suddenly the second part of her dream, the part that she had been certain was a dream made more sense. She jumped to her feet.

"Where did he go? I have to find him."

As she walked quickly toward the door, the others tried to stop her, to get her to rest, but she would have none of it. She had to find Sesshoumaru. Finally, they let her go, and she ran through the dim light of dusk in the direction he had taken earlier that day. _Was it only today?_

Vanessa stumbled to a halt when she found him. His back was to her and his face was turned up to the stars that could just be seen through the canopy. Tension etched every line in his body. At first he didn't make a move or any other reaction to her presence, but she was certain that he had heard her. How could he not have?

"Why are you here?" he asked finally. That hard edge was back in his voice, and she wondered if it really was a good idea to seek him out. Things hadn't changed that much had they?

"I just… I wanted to thank you. I don't know how you did it, but I would be dead if it weren't for you."

Reluctantly, it seemed, he turned around to face her. His eyes burned with the need to understand. Confusion whirled briefly in those golden eyes before they hardened once more and he frowned in thought. "Why did you protect her?"

"Rin? Because… well, because she's only a little girl. It didn't seem right that she should die so young. She belongs here with you and I guess I didn't want her taken away."

"And you had no care for your own safety? For your life?"

"Of course I did! I didn't want to die, and from what I remember of it, I'd very much rather not go through it again." Something flickered behind his cold eyes, but she continued. "But I couldn't have lived with myself, knowing that I ran away and Rin was killed. Besides, I'm not needed here. Who better to protect someone who is?" She had to lower her eyes at that admission, but abruptly her gaze was forced back to Sesshoumaru by his strong but gentle hand on her chin.

"I did not bring you back so that you could doubt your worth," he said forcefully and, with a slight widening of his eyes, he released her and turned back to the stars. Vanessa was stunned. The way he had been acting lately, it almost seemed as if he didn't care one way or another that she was leaving. Did she really mean something to him? Something more than the lost human girl he had befriended? _No. Of course not._ But what he had just said, the fact that he _did_ bring her back, saved her from death, that had to mean something, didn't it? His words tossed around in her head. Sesshoumaru rarely, possibly never said anything he didn't mean; so exactly what was she worth to him? Her heart sped up for a moment, but her brain refused to listen to it.

She walked around him so that he was facing her again. "I had a dream," she said softly, "Just before I woke up in the grass." Vanessa looked up to find Sesshoumaru's golden eyes fixed on her and glowing with some otherworldly light in the darkness.

"What did you dream?"

"I dreamt I was in a dark place. There was nothing around me at all. I think even I was nothing. And then, it sounds so cliché," she laughed, "and then there was a bright light. It was calling me, telling me to come to it. It felt so inviting, so much like home, that all I could think of was getting there as quickly as I could, but then something stopped me. Something grabbed hold of me and I struggled against it to get to the light until that hold turned into something like an embrace.

"There was something familiar about it, something I had felt before so I stopped for a moment to listen to it. This other… presence, I guess would be a good word for it, told me to wait, that it wasn't my time to go yet. I was torn between going home to the light and listening to the voice that sounded strangely enough like your father, but I waited. It seemed to take forever, but I waited in the nothingness for whatever the presence thought was coming. And then I woke up in the grass. I barely remembered that dream at the time, just that Rin had been in danger and I had to know she was okay."

"Tenseiga," Sesshoumaru murmured and spun away from her with a growl.

_What did I do now?_ Vanessa thought about going back to the hut, but she would have to pass in front of Sesshoumaru again, and she wasn't quite sure what had upset him. But wait, wasn't 'Tenseiga' the name of one of his swords? What did that have to do with anything? Either there was something here that she was missing, or Sesshoumaru was losing his mind.

She let the silence pass a little while longer before summoning her courage and taking a deep breath. "What about Tenseiga?" she asked hesitantly.

Sesshoumaru turned around once more and looked at her as though, in those few minutes, he had completely forgotten that she was there. That only solidified the already strong notion that something was seriously bothering him.

He looked at her for a moment and then drew a sword from his sash, holding it up for her to see. "This is Tenseiga," he explained. "It was left to me by my father after he passed from this world. Useless." Suddenly, he tossed it in the air and caught it, not by the hilt, but by the blade itself, even letting it go as far as to slide through his grip before it stopped. Vanessa cried out in surprise and took a step toward him, certain that he had just sliced through his hand. But there was no blood. Before she took another step, he lightly flipped it again, caught it properly, and returned it to its place beside Tokijin. "It does not cut living flesh," he said, showing her the unmarred skin of his palm.

By this time Vanessa was scowling up at him. "You're horrible! Couldn't you have just told me that without letting me think you were cutting your fingers off?"

Sesshoumaru snorted. "Would you have believed that sharpened steel such as this would not even break the skin? Besides," he smirked, "I did not think you would appreciate a demonstration on your own flesh."

He had a point – at least she thought he did. What exactly was he trying to tell her? "So what does this sword that doesn't harm the living have to do with my dream?"

"Everything." He gestured to a spot under a tree and took a seat. Only after Vanessa joined him did he continue. "You have met my father, or at least the spirit of my father." She nodded. "Tenseiga and Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga were both forged from his fangs."

"I don't understand what this has to do with me."

Sesshoumaru gave her that look that said she should be quiet and let him speak, and then continued. "It has to do with you, because Tenseiga brought you back. I am almost certain that the 'presence' that you felt was Tenseiga. It was familiar to you because a part of my father went into its making. Tenseiga made you wait," he finished bitterly.

"What… what was it waiting for?" It was hard to imagine any reason the sword might have for making her wait in that place between life and death… It was hard to imagine a sword even having a consciousness for that matter. What if the waiting had been for nothing? What if whatever was supposed to happen never did? Would she have been stuck there? Or would she have been able to… move on?

For a long time Sesshoumaru didn't answer, and when he did, he spoke so softly that she almost didn't hear him. "It was waiting for me." Then he stood and started back in the direction of the hut. Vanessa scrambled after him, trying to figure out what he meant by that.

"What do you mean? Why was it waiting for you?"

Sesshoumaru didn't answer, and she tried a few more times, but was still met with silence. When they finally reached the hut, futons and blankets were already laid out for the night. There was even one for Sesshoumaru, but he ignored it and silently took up his place against the wall. Vanessa hesitated at the doorway. She didn't want anyone to ask her what happened. She didn't quite know herself, but really, where did she have to go?

Just as quietly as Sesshoumaru, Vanessa crossed the room to her own mat and lay down with her back to the rest of the room. Rin looked from one to the other worriedly, unsure of whom she should spend the night with, but in the end it seemed that her limited time with Vanessa was all the reason she needed.

"Neesan?" she said uncertainly and sat back on her heels beside her.

Vanessa rolled over and put on a smile. "Hi, Rin. Are you all ready for bed?"

The girl nodded.

"Is there anything else you need?"

She nodded again. "Could I sleep with you tonight?"

"Sure! Come here."

Vanessa lifted the edge of her blanket, and Rin crawled under and snuggled up to her. Even as she welcomed the comfort that Rin's presence brought, she felt tears sting her eyes, and she held her a little tighter. This wasn't the way it was supposed to be. She didn't want Sesshoumaru to be upset with her, and it was killing her that things had changed between them. The only thing she could think of that might have been the cause was her telling him that it was time to go home, but hadn't they both known that was coming eventually anyway? Still, something inside her tickled her soul, telling her that it might be okay if she stayed. That something suggested that if she left, a part of her would be left behind. _It's what I have to do,_ she told herself firmly.

The next morning, Sesshoumaru was nowhere to be found. Rin, Ah-Un, and Jaken were still there, and Vanessa was fairly certain that he wouldn't have left them behind for long, but still she missed his presence. She was distracted all through breakfast, and was forced out of it when the others began asking questions.

Kaede was direct, but kind when she asked Vanessa why they had come to her village, especially considering they had all but led someone like Naraku to them. "Ye are always welcome here, child, but I must ask what brings ye and Lord Sesshoumaru to my village after so many months."

Vanessa glanced at the door, hoping to see Sesshoumaru there to help explain, or even to tell her how much to say. What if they asked what Naraku wanted with him? What should she tell them?

"I can only guess," Kaede continued, "that ye two have had some trouble with Naraku, considering yesterday's events."

Well, there it was. What should she say? That Naraku tricked Sesshoumaru and nearly killed him? Inuyasha knew that much already. She took a breath.

"We did have some trouble with Naraku, but he's not why we are here. Yesterday was… an unfortunate coincidence."

They all stared at her as though she had grown a second head.

"You being killed was just an 'unfortunate coincidence?" Kagome asked her, wide-eyed.

"Keh, listen to her," Inuyasha grumbled. "Only three months and she's already starting to sound like him. Can't imagine how the girl will turn out. I don't know how either of them have survived this long with that bastard brother of mine."

Something inside her snapped, and Vanessa glared at Inuyasha. "Don't talk about him that way," she said quietly, lacing her words with as much venom as she knew how.

Inuyasha stiffened in surprise and seemed to back away from her a little, though he didn't move from his seat. Even Rin looked up at her in surprise at her tone.

"Sesshoumaru may not open himself up for the world to see, but that does not make him a monster." She thought she felt something flicker in the back of her mind, but in an instant it was gone and she shrugged the feeling off. Inuyasha watched her warily, but didn't even have the decency to look abashed over talking behind his brother's back like that. Then again, Sesshoumaru probably wouldn't either. Almost as an after thought, she noticed that the others didn't return her glare, or even look very surprised, just… thoughtful. It was starting to feel weird.

"You asked why we came," she said quickly, changing the subject. "The simple answer is that it's time for me to go home – if there is a way. I need to try again."

Kaede sighed, "I thought as much. Have ye any ideas of your own that ye would like to try?"

Vanessa glanced at the doorway again, hoping Sesshoumaru would make an appearance for this at least, but he still hadn't come. "I did have one thought," she began hesitantly. "But I don't know if it will work."

"Go on," Kaede urged. "I could think of no spell or portal other than the Bone-Eater's Well, and we know that way does not work."

"Well, it's going to sound crazy, but what if I tried going back the way I came?"

"But you said that the gateway was closed after you came through," Kagome interrupted.

Vanessa shook her head. "I did say that there was no way through on this side, but I'm not trying to get through from here." The others leaned forward, unconsciously eager to find out what she had to say. "If the arch brought me to this time, even if it brought me to a different location than where I started, doesn't that mean that it should exist in this time too?"

"You mean… No way, Vanessa. It's way too dangerous. And what if it doesn't work? What will you do then? No. Stay here until we think of something else."

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked, staring blankly from one to the other. Similar confusion was evident on Miroku and Sango's faces as well. For the moment, however, they were all ignored.

"And what if we don't think of anything else? This is the first solid idea anyone has come up with. I think it might work. I have to try."

"How will you do it?"

"There are ships sailing even now. I could go that way."

"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" Inuyasha asked rather impatiently, but Miroku and Sango nodded their support, too.

"Vanessa wants to take a ship from Europe, that region on the other side of the continent, and sail across the ocean to her own country."

Inuyasha laughed outright at that, and Vanessa felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

"And just how exactly do you plan on getting to this 'Europe'? Walk? That would take you years at best."

"I don't have all the details worked out," she muttered. It would work. It wasn't that crazy of an idea, was it? "I'm a fair rider. If I could find a horse, it would probably cut my time in half."

Inuyasha chuckled again. "So you'll take one year instead of two? That's if you run the beast into the ground. And then what? You think they'll just let you stroll onto some ship and carry you across an ocean? Kagome's right. Stay here."

"I can't. If I stay here, I'll–" _What? Never be able to bring myself to leave again?_ "I have to try." _Even if I fail, I have to try,_ she told herself firmly. It was the foundation of her determination, knowing that she had tried everything to get home to her family.

"This is a bad idea, Vanessa," Kagome said, still trying to convince her not to take this journey. "It's dangerous. Any number of things could happen to you while you try to cross the continent."

"Yeah," Inuyasha put in, "traveling is different now than in your time."

"I won't ask any of you to come with me. You have your own duties here, but mine is with my family. What do you suggest then if this is such a horrible idea?"

Silence stretched uncomfortably.

"Keh, it's your life. Throw it away if you want to."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded and then turned back to Vanessa. "There's got to be something else I just don't think –"

"I will take her."

Everyone spun toward the doorway where Sesshoumaru stood watching them. He had come up so quietly no one, not even Inuyasha, had even noticed his approach. Immediately Vanessa shook her head. He had done so much for her already – he brought her back to life, for crying out loud! She simply could not let him come with her when he had an entire territory to run. _That_ would be crazy. _'I will take her.'_ Those four words shook the very foundation that she stood on.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru eyed every occupant in the room until his gaze rested on Vanessa. The woman was causing him to develop a bad eavesdropping habit. He had been listening outside the door for quite some time and heard everything, heard her coolly speak of Naraku, the very monster that had killed her, heard her defend him, and heard her seemingly impossible plan to return home. To trek halfway around the world and sail an ocean on the _chance_ that this archway of hers would take her home was preposterous, but she was set on it. Knowing her, it would take being locked in a dungeon to keep her from setting out, and he couldn't do that, not to her.

So, after careful consideration, he decided that the best way to see her safely to her destination would be to escort her himself. No one else seemed to be volunteering for the task. He would have to return home briefly to leave notice and instructions for Saburo, and Rin… He frowned momentarily. Rin would have to stay here. On foot she would slow them down. Ah-Un was too conspicuous to bring into strange territories, and if he should need to fly them to safety… well, he had only one arm.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed everyone was still staring at him. Vanessa still shook her head and seemed on the verge of voicing her protests. _You've done too much. I can't ask you that._ He knew what she would say, but he had made his decision, and whether or not she agreed, he would see it done.

"Sesshoumaru, no. I'll find a way on my own. You have too much to do here. Do you even realize how long you would be gone if you came with me?"

"I will go with you," he said, but only Vanessa realized the significance. Her eyes widened as memory struck. What she knew that the others didn't was that he had given his word to see her safely home, and he meant to keep it. A weight seemed to lift from her shoulders as she accepted that he would not be swayed. She was determined to leave, and he was just as determined to protect her. "We leave in the morning." With that, he turned and walked back out the door, but then he paused and looked over his shoulder. "Rin, come with me."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" She trotted to his side and Jaken rose to come too, but Sesshoumaru halted him with a look. He sullenly plopped down again in the corner and watched as they left everyone in the hut staring at their backs. Sesshoumaru heard the murmur of conversation begin again; they were trying again to convince Vanessa to stay, but the decision was made.

Sesshoumaru and Rin walked in silence deep into the forest until they came to a place very near to where he had fled after reviving Vanessa. There he stopped and looked down at the girl. She returned his gaze fearlessly and with an almost foolish level of adoration. This was not going to go well. "Rin, you will not come on this journey. You will stay here, in this village." He knew that she understood from the earlier discussion in the hut that it would be a very long time before he returned, and he felt something akin to remorse as the tears welled up in her eyes.

"S-Sesshoumaru-sama? You're leaving me here?"

He had thought about doing just this many times since Rin came under his care, but never imagined that it would be so difficult. He wasn't turning her away permanently, only until he returned from taking Vanessa home. To a child who had lost her family and thought she might have gained a new one, however, the separation would be agony. Sesshoumaru felt a twisting within his chest, as though he were leaving his own pup behind. With a sigh, he crouched in front of her to bring himself to her level, something he had never done before.

"Listen well, Rin," he said when he was sure he had her attention. "I will return for you. It may take many passes of the moon, but when I return, you may come with me once more."

Even as she nodded, silent tears spilled over her cheeks, and Sesshoumaru reached out to brush them away with the back of one finger. He was growing far too sentimental, he decided. Then suddenly Rin threw her tiny arms around his neck. "I'll miss you, Sesshoumaru-sama. Don't forget about me while you're gone."

He was stunned only for a moment before drawing her into a one-armed embrace of his own. It was vaguely reminiscent of his last encounter with little Tenshi. "Foolishness," he said, but there was no mockery or coldness in his tone. He had to admit that he would miss the amusement that this little human brought to his days.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" she muttered into his shoulder.

"Yes, Rin."

"I don't want you to go."

He had never seen this side of her before, the side that had her acting like, well… a child. She was a child, and one who had lost everything before he happened across her. Somehow he had become her world, and now he was walking away for kami only knew how long. Sesshoumaru sighed and watched a few strands of her hair flutter on his breath. "But I must."

"Why?" she asked, turning pleading eyes up to him.

"I gave my word that I would keep her safe. If she leaves, I cannot keep that promise unless I go with her."

Rin let go and stepped back, her eyes on the ground at her feet. "But why can't Nessa-neesan stay here? Why does she have to leave?"

There was that question again. "She does not belong here. Her stay was never meant to be anything but temporary, but if this does not work, if her way home is still blocked, then she will return with me." So he assumed, but why shouldn't she? "I do not want you to get your hopes up that this will be the case," he warned. "It might work, and then she will be home with her own people. She will be happy there." At least, he hoped that she would for all the trouble he was going through to get her there.

Sesshoumaru stood and looked toward the village. "Come, Rin. I am certain Vanessa would like to spend some time with you before we leave."

"So soon…" Rin practically ran all the way back to the village and Sesshoumaru actually had to lengthen his strides a bit to match her pace.

Throughout the rest of the afternoon, Rin could not be seen apart from Vanessa, who took the situation remarkably well – even after nearly tripping over the girl no less than three times. The pair talked and laughed, and acted every bit the 'sisters' that they claimed to be. Occasionally Vanessa would look up and catch Sesshoumaru's eye while he watched over them, and then she would smile at him. It caught him off guard every time, but he found that he was glad to see even a smile tainted by sadness over the mask of death she had worn only yesterday. She had done something to him in the short time she had lived under his roof, and he could only imagine what the next months would bring.

That night, Rin slept soundly, nestled in Vanessa's arms, but Sesshoumaru could tell that Vanessa got very little sleep herself. Aside from the traces he felt of her conflicting emotions, she shifted constantly, sometimes drawing Rin tightly to her, and sometimes rolling onto her back to stare at the ceiling while Rin used her arm as a pillow. He wanted to talk to her, to know what was troubling her so, other than her steadily approaching departure, but didn't want their voices to wake the others. There would be time for talk later.

Dawn broke over the small village, painting the few clouds in reds and golds and giving everything a glow that lasted only those few minutes that the sun hoisted itself above the horizon, but Sesshoumaru cared nothing for that at the moment. The time had come to separate Rin from her beloved 'Neesan.' He waited as long as possible, but Ah-Un was packed and Jaken had finished grumbling about being left behind to tend a human girl.

"Rin, mind Jaken and Lady Kaede. Behave," he said, though he hardly had any reason to tell her. "And you," he turned to Jaken, "have patience and be sure that no harm befalls her. I will send Ah-Un back with both of your belongings. Now, Rin, it is time to say good-bye."

Unshed tears clung to her lashes as she embraced Vanessa tightly. It seemed that neither wanted to let go, but finally Rin did, and ran to hug Sesshoumaru around his knee. They had had their moment in the forest the day before, and Rin knew that such a display was rare. She accepted his hand on her hair as if he had hoisted her up onto his shoulder. Her eyes shone with adoration and impatient eagerness already for the time when he would return home. _Strange human,_ Sesshoumaru thought with no small amount of fondness.

Finally, they could delay no longer. Vanessa climbed up onto Ah-Un's back and waved down to the small group of friends as the dragon lifted them into the sky, especially to the small girl clinging to an old miko's hakama.

"We fly hard and fast today," Sesshoumaru told her. "It will be late, but I wish to reach the palace tonight. I must speak with Saburo and we will need to pack for a long journey. Hold on."

Vanessa squeaked once, but quickly adjusted to the speed and could almost sit upright on Ah-Un's back, but for the wind whipping her hair in her face. For the most part she leaned forward against one neck or the other, and true to his word, they arrived at the palace near to midnight. All four of Ah-Un's ears drooped wearily, and he panted from his effort, but he perked up at the sight of his stable. He even gave a light kick of his heels when a stable hand led him away to be un-tacked and served a tasty pile of hay and a bucket of grain. Vanessa smiled after him and followed Sesshoumaru up to her room. She didn't know how long he intended for them to stay this time, but she was glad to see the familiar surroundings. She would miss this place when she was gone. She was going home!

A/N: Seriously, you didn't really think I'd leave her for dead, did you?

Just a note: Since the Sengoku jidai ranges from mid 1400s to early 1600s, I'm taking an artistic liberty here and saying that the time period we'll be traveling through will be mid 1500s. That would put them about 450 years back, and not a solid 500, but if we say that it was 500 years ago that Inuyasha was sealed to the tree… it works. And, to my knowledge – mind you my memory can tend to be flawed – Kagome always refers to the other side of the well as (in the English dub anyway) "the Feudal Era" or "the Warring-States Era." Does she ever actually say "500 years in the past?" Even if she does and I've missed it, well… like I said, artistic liberty. So my point is: there _would_ be ships sailing from Europe across the Atlantic to the Americas, carrying explorers to established trade colonies during this time.


	21. Departure

A/N: (16/2/07) I'm going to be revamping the story so far. I'll still be working on the next chapter so don't worry. But if it takes a while, this is why.

A/N: Eep! Over 12000 hits! ThankYouThankYouThankYou!! Now… why don't I have that many reviews, hmm? Hmmm? Just kidding… mostly. Thanks!

Into the East

Chapter twenty-one: Departure

Posted: 1 February 2007

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

Vanessa was no sooner out the door and on her way to a late-night rendezvous with the bath, than she heard a familiar voice in her head.

"_Nessa-chan? I thought you left for good!"_

Her bath could wait a few more minutes so she turned and eagerly walked out into the garden to meet her winged friend. She hadn't thought she would ever see Shizu again. The horse pranced excitedly and butted Vanessa's shoulder with her nose as she stepped into the trees.

"I'm only back for a short while," she said, a touch regretfully. "Sesshoumaru-sama is taking me home, but I don't know when we'll leave."

"_So you did find a way then?"_ Shizu's wings drooped sadly. _"I thought you might have come back to stay with us."_

"I think I have found a way, but I won't know until I get there."

"_Where are you going?"_

"We're going to try to go back to my continent and find the place where the gateway stands in my time."

Shizu's big blue eye widened in surprise, _"Really?"_

"Yeah, we'll have to cross the mainland to the west and then sail across the ocean, so I really hope this works, or Sesshoumaru-sama is going to take me all that way for nothing."

"_He's really going with you? All that way?"_ Her eyes were bright with amusement.

"Yes… He seemed set on going, so there really wasn't anything I could do to stop him. It's not that I'm ungrateful," Vanessa said, leaning against a tree. "It's just that he's got so much to do here, and after everything that's happened, can he really afford to take the time to bring me home?"

"_Sesshoumaru-sama makes his own decisions."_

"Everyone keeps saying that, but it doesn't make me feel any better."

"_We just have to accept his decisions, good or bad, and trust that he knows what he's doing." _The silence hung over them for a moment. _"Well, I am keeping you from your bath. Come see me again before you leave?"_

Shizu spoke in such a way that Vanessa could practically see the wheels turning in her head, but to what end, she had no idea.

"You can count on it. Good night, Shizu."

The bath felt wonderful and soothed her muscles, taut from a harrowing ride on Ah-Un. She hoped she never had to ride that fast for that long again. When she finally returned to her room, she peeked into Sesshoumaru's quarters, but he was nowhere to be found. He would probably be in meetings from now until they left, whenever that would be.

Feeling suddenly lonely, Vanessa returned to her own empty apartment. It seemed strange not to have Rin there. _Rin…_ She would never see her again. The thought made her quietly enter the girl's room. Sesshoumaru did say that he would be sending Ah-Un back with her belongings, so it wouldn't hurt if she took it upon herself to pack them up, would it?

Rin didn't have much, some clothes, a few dolls, all of the finest quality of course. One couldn't expect anything less from a guardian like Sesshoumaru, but he didn't spoil her. Vanessa found a bag in the wardrobe and filled it nearly full to bursting with everything she thought Rin might want or need: clothes, dolls, fresh writing supplies, and an extra blanket.

She wished that she had something of her own that she could give her, but she didn't, unless… Vanessa went into her own room again and dug through her pack. It didn't take long to find what she was looking for: a pink kimono with dark red and silver vines embroidered on the sleeves, collar and bottom hem. The obi was silver and the under kimono the same dark red as the embroidered vines. It was one of Rin's favorites.

It would be several years before she could wear it, but Vanessa thought she might love to have it. Tomorrow she would find out the best way to store it and leave it for Rin in her room. But for now, exhaustion had finally caught up with her so she retired to her bed.

VvVvVvVvV

"So, you're really going to do this?"

Sesshoumaru shot Saburo a glare for the umpteenth time since he had gotten home that night. Was it really so unbelievable that he should want to protect someone he had taken into his care? So she was human… He realized that mere months ago, he would have scoffed at the very idea of traveling with a human halfway across the world, but this human was different. She was… special.

"Yes, I intend to see her safely as far as I can take her."

Saburo pushed himself off of the edge of Sesshoumaru's desk and busied himself with an inspection of a painted scroll hanging on the wall. The taiyoukai imagined he was trying to hide that same knowing look that Kagome had so often sent his way. Whatever they were implying, whatever they thought they knew, well… they were just wrong, plain and simple. He was merely fulfilling a duty he had appointed himself. Nothing more.

"As usual, you will act in my stead. Treat these lands as your own until I return. I have sent messengers to the other Great Lords telling them that you have my confidence. I do not foresee any major trouble with them. They might seek to test you and your hold on my land, but they have also seen you in battle and in my seat before. Do what you must to maintain my territory."

"It will be as though you never left, my lord."

"Hn." He would be making a long journey, and it would be wise to plan for any possible outcome. He told Saburo as much.

"If I should not return –"

"My lord, no! You will return. I can't imagine otherwise."

"If I should not return," Sesshoumaru repeated, "I name you regent over these lands. If my half-brother ever claims what is his birthright in the event of my death, guide him."

Of course, Sesshoumaru had never told Inuyasha that he stood to inherit the Western Territory. That would have meant publicly accepting him for what he was: his brother. Let Myouga deal with that if the need ever arose. Until then, he would appoint someone he knew to be capable. Until he produced an heir, it was all he could do.

"My lord, please. Do not speak of such things. You will return whole and healthy as the day you leave."

"Just see that it is done." Saburo's interruptions were not simply sycophantic drivel. Unbelievable as it might be, Saburo was honestly that confident in his lord's abilities.

"How long will you be away?"

"I am not certain… Perhaps a few months, maybe a year… Surely no more than a year." How could he know? Vanessa said that there were flying machines in her time that could travel the same distance in a day, but the speeds that they must travel were simply unimaginable. Sesshoumaru knew that he could move faster than the average eye could follow if the need arose, but to maintain that sort of speed for any length of time… He would burn himself out.

"I will take care of everything," Saburo assured him. "And… Rin will not be returning until you do?"

"She will stay with the miko of the village in Inuyasha's Forest." Sesshoumaru frowned for a moment. Rin would be alone in a human village. Inuyasha's presence would be unreliable at best with his preoccupation with that jewel. "I would ask that you watch over that village. Rin is fond of Rai-san. Perhaps she wouldn't mind paying her a visit from time to time?"

"Of course. We will see that nothing happens to her."

"Ah-Un and Jaken will be staying there as well," he added off-handedly.

His stomach twisted oddly each time he thought of Rin living without his personal protection. She had never been away from him for so long since he took her in, and Saburo's assurances did little to dispel his concern.

She would be fine. She had to be.

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat.

"Have you given thought to how you will travel?" Saburo asked, changing the subject.

"There is much yet to plan. Vanessa says that where we are going, there is little of magical origin, and what is there is hunted or persecuted. However we get there, once we are closer to the more populated areas, we will have to find horses or walk."

"This land sounds so strange."

Sesshoumaru nodded. It sounded very strange. "It is late," he said and rose from his seat. "Return to your mate, and I will send for you tomorrow and we will speak more of preparations for my absence."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Saburo followed him out and then turned at the stairs to go back to his quarters and his mate. Sesshoumaru went to his room and changed into a sleeping robe, but before he settled for the night, he stole quietly down the hall to Vanessa's room. Not before peeking into Rin's room, however. Much to his surprise, he found a bag packed and sitting on her bed. _Vanessa must have packed it,_ he thought to himself.

He left the eerie quiet of his ward's room and moved on to Vanessa's, thankful that he would not have to bear the silence of that room for much longer. Vanessa was already sleeping when he opened the door a crack to peer inside, but in the narrow rectangle of light, he saw her stir.

"Is everything okay?" she asked sleepily.

"Yes. Go back to sleep," he responded softly, and backed out of the doorway, closing the door as he left. This room would be strangely quiet, too… After she was gone. He gave a derisive snort and went back to his own room. _Far too sentimental indeed._

The next morning, Sesshoumaru met once again with Saburo. They got an early start and took their breakfast in Sesshoumaru's study. The Western Lord had never been away from his rule for as long as he would be in completing this journey, and they were fast discovering that their brief meeting the night before had barely scratched the tip of the iceberg.

Sesshoumaru was beginning to wonder what he was thinking, leaving on such short notice, but what's done is done. He couldn't call the messengers back and he _wouldn't_ go back on his word to Vanessa. She was going home. And his territory would survive. Somehow he would make everything work. He ran his hand through his hair and glanced across the room to Saburo. It was a small gesture; most might never notice it as anything unusual.

Saburo noticed. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru dropped his hand back to the desktop and sifted through the papers littering the surface. There was nothing of great importance there, nothing that Saburo couldn't handle once he left.

"The other lords should be receiving the messages I sent today or tomorrow at the latest."

"Yes, my lord. What if they request more information?"

"I have told them what they need to know. Repeat it if they are too thick to understand. A matter of great importance has called me away. The nature of the agreement does not allow me to say more."

"And if they refuse to accept that answer?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "You have my warriors at your disposal. Use them if you have to in order to maintain the peace of my land, though I do not believe you will need them. I have made it clear that you will be making regular reports to me."

Saburo stared at him in confusion. "But… how can I? I couldn't possibly send a messenger after you and hope to receive a reply in time."

"They do not know that. They do not know where I will be. For all they know, I will remain near to my territory and will simply be unreachable."

"I hadn't thought of that… Sesshoumaru-sama, are you sure you want to leave your lands with me?"

Saburo rarely expressed doubts in his abilities, why now? Sesshoumaru leveled him with a look before snorting. "Do not be a fool. How many times have I left you in charge before?"

"Many, but–"

"And how often have you fought by my side?"

"All the time, but my lord–"

"Then tell me, how many times have I disclosed privileged information to you alone – personal as well as official?"

Saburo paused in his objections then.

"Saburo, you know more about the hidden workings of this territory than anyone save myself. There is no one else as qualified as you, so why should I leave my lands in the care of someone I do not trust half as well as I do you?"

The tiger's mouth worked, but no sound came. He appeared to be in some state of shock at hearing what might be considered sentimental words from his lord. Sesshoumaru needlessly straightened a few items on his desk.

"Perhaps I have not made clear the value I hold for your services… and your loyalty. There is a reason why you are the only other to know Vanessa's true origin, or to know anything about me for that matter."

Did he really need to put it to words? That Saburo had been his closest friend long before he'd ever wanted or needed someone to fill the position? But the way Saburo fairly beamed at him, he thought not.

Sesshoumaru clicked a claw on the wood surface of his desk. "Now, if you no longer need me to lead you along by the hand, we have matters to discuss and I have yet to pack for a rather long journey."

Saburo quickly brought himself under control. "You can count on me, Sesshoumaru-sama. I'll take good care of your territory."

The Western lord stood and went to the window to look down on the courtyard below, leaning his hand against the frame. "I know."

Vanessa had certainly done something to him. It was the only explanation. Never before would he have bothered to reassure Saburo. His word was law and, insecurities or not, he expected his orders to be carried out. What in the world was happening to him?

Saburo was waiting for him to say more, and for a moment, Sesshoumaru wasn't sure where to begin. On the one hand, taking charge of the territory wasn't by any means new to Saburo. On the other, there was really no precedent for this sort of absence.

"Pull back your seekers from their hunt for Naraku," he said finally. It was a start.

"You don't mean to continue?"

"I will resume my search after I return. Until then simply pay attention and take note of any rumors, but do not actively seek him. Use those resources elsewhere. He should not pose too great a problem. It is me he wants, not any of you. That much he has made abundantly clear. When I return, I will finish him, but I cannot do that when I am on the other side of the world." That thought still settled a sort of uneasiness over him. What he was undertaking, all for a mere mortal no less, was… was HUGE.

"Don't you think Naraku might follow you?"

"No." Sesshoumaru's grip tightened momentarily on the window frame. "Even if he did, if what Vanessa says is true, then he would quickly discover that there are few to none of the youkai he needs to maintain his strength. He would become weaker the farther he traveled from our land. Besides," he added with a grim smile, the one few ever lived to speak of. "Naraku was badly wounded when last we met."

"When last you… Did you encounter him when you went to see Inuyasha?"

"We fought," he confirmed. "Inuyasha had his band of followers actually served a purpose for once."

"Then… no one was hurt I trust?"

For a moment Sesshoumaru's vision clouded and all he could see what Vanessa's broken and bleeding body. All he could hear was her frightened cry of pain until the sharp crack of splintering wood brought him back to the present. He hardly noticed the sting of jagged bits embedding themselves under his skin.

Sesshoumaru released the abused frame and stared in strange fascination as his body expelled the intruding wood and healed the remaining lacerations. _So unlike humans…_

It was then that he noticed Saburo's voice, growing louder with his concern.

"Sesshoumaru-sama? What happened? It wasn't little Rin, was it? Is that why–"

"No." Sesshoumaru turned a somewhat distracted gaze over his shoulder at his advisor. The bitter taste of failure was still strong in his mouth. "Not Rin."

"Then… what happened?"

Sesshoumaru straightened and dropped his hand to his side. It was too late now to pretend nothing happened; the splintered window frame was proof enough of that. All he could do was feign further detachment. Schooling his face once more, he turned to face Saburo.

"The only one of our group seriously wounded was Vanessa."

Saburo frowned. "She was hurt? I saw her when you came in and she seemed fine. Surely she couldn't have healed in so short a time. She was really wounded?"

Now it was Sesshoumaru's turn to frown. Trusted advisor or not, who did he think he was to doubt what Sesshoumaru knew for truth?

"Badly. I did not reach her in time to protect her." He could have. He could have found a way to protect her, but he didn't. There was that 'guilt' feeling again.

"What happened?" Saburo asked quietly, still not quite believing it could have been bad enough to make his lord react this way.

"Naraku cut her down while she protected Rin," Sesshoumaru answered evenly. "If we had split up, if I had gone to her right away, more of them would have been hurt. We had to finish Naraku before I could go to her, and even that wasn't a complete success." With a sigh, he returned to his seat at his desk. "It was never my intention to sacrifice her," he found himself defending, though whether it was to himself or Saburo, he wasn't sure. "I did not want her to be hurt, much less killed –"

Saburo lurched to his feet. "Killed! You didn't say she died!"

"Tenseiga brought her back," Sesshoumaru said. Saburo didn't need to know how reluctantly Tenseiga seemed to have acted.

"Does she… remember?"

"She seems to remember a great deal, but we haven't spoken of it in great detail. She lives. That is what matters."

Saburo looked about to say more, but there was a knock on the door.

"Come," Sesshoumaru commanded, glad for a break from the topic at hand, but the very person they had been discussing poked her head in the door.

"Hi guys!" she chirped. "You've been closed in here all day. Are you hungry?"

"Vanessa-san, you are too thoughtful, but do not trouble yourself over us," Saburo said before Sesshoumaru could even get a word out.

"Well… in that case," she said with a pout. "I guess I'll just have to throw this away then."

She pushed the door open a little farther and produced a rather tantalizing beef dish. "If you're not hungry…"

"Like I said, do not trouble yourself over us. Please, come in. Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru merely nodded once, so Vanessa came in with a tray for them and a smaller dish of her own.

For the next hour or so, Sesshoumaru watched the two interact. Occasionally he would offer a comment or answer a question posed to him, but his companions did most of the talking, and he was content simply to listen.

The next morning, after he had sent Ah-Un off with Rin's things and a bag for Jaken as well, Sesshoumaru took his breakfast with Vanessa. They had hardly sat down before someone knocked on the door. _What now?_

"Come."

It was a runner from the front gate. Sesshoumaru wasn't expecting anyone…

"Yes?" he prompted when the messenger didn't say anything.

"Forgive the intrusion, my lord. There is someone here to see you, rather… both of you."

"We will be down when we finish our meal," Sesshoumaru said, wordlessly dismissing the runner.

"Er… My lord, that is…"

"What is it?" He was quickly losing his patience.

"My lord, you see… This person is a miko, and a powerful one if I am any judge." Clearly her presence had shaken him up.

Sesshoumaru knew few mikos personally, and certainly none that he would expect to pay him a visit. "What is the name of this miko?"

"I didn't get her name, my lord. I was sent to find you the moment she approached the gates."

The taiyoukai stared hard at him. "Am I to understand that I, lord of these lands, am to walk unprepared into the presence of an unknown miko, who just happens to be within my walls?"

"Sh-she said she knew you. That much I heard before I left. And she arrived on a firecat."

_Interesting._

"We will discuss proper receiving protocol later. Go back and tell your superior that we will be there shortly."

Kagome's presence would certainly be felt by nearly everyone within the walls, and would probably raise any number of questions. He wouldn't be the only one to feel vaguely uneasy about her visit. He watched the runner leave and pushed his food away before standing.

"Come, Vanessa. It would appear you have a visitor."

Sesshoumaru led Vanessa through the palace to the receiving room at the top of the front stairs. All unexpected guests were to wait there. 'Mitsue' _should_ have waited there. Well. That was done, and his guards knew under no uncertain terms not to let that happen again. Still… It was odd to have a miko under his roof, friendly or otherwise. He couldn't remember the last time a miko had come to see anyone in his House.

He opened the door and Kagome jumped. Why, exactly, was she here? And where was Inuyasha for that matter? It wasn't like either of them to casually pay him a visit. Vanessa may have taken a liking to the girl, but that didn't mean that he had to do more than tolerate her. For a moment he just stared at her silently – that is, until Vanessa brushed past with a vaguely reproachful glance before grinning at the miko and embracing her. It was then that Kagome released her iron grip on the ruff of fur on Kirara's neck. Was she frightened? She should be. This was no shrine. She was on _his_ territory now.

Vanessa turned back to him with a small smile. "Hey, Sesshoumaru? I'm going to how Kagome around, is that okay?"

Sesshoumaru inclined his head slightly toward the miko. "Be a welcomed guest in my home," he added respectfully. Odd as the situation might be, he wouldn't be accused of being a poor host, especially with a guest who might find it within herself to purify him. "If you will excuse me." He left Vanessa grinning and Kagome staring dumbstruck at his back. He had business to attend to, after all.

VvVvVvVvV

"Kagome! What are you doing here?" Vanessa exclaimed after Sesshoumaru had left.

The miko shook herself back to reality and gave her an uncertain smile. "You left so suddenly, I didn't even think to ask you if you wanted anything from the other side to take with you. So… I went home and picked up a few things for you."

"Really? You shouldn't have. But… What did you bring?" she asked eagerly.

"Could we go somewhere a little more comfortable?"

"Sure thing. Follow me. We can go to my room first and then maybe a walk out in the garden?"

"Sounds great." Kirara transformed with a small burst of flame and leapt up onto Kagome's shoulder as they left the receiving room.

"So… Kagome," Vanessa began. "Where is Inuyasha? I find it hard to believe he'd be okay with you being here."

Kagome grimaced. "He… doesn't exactly know I'm here. I asked Sango if I could borrow Kirara to come see you and she promised not to tell. Inuyasha thinks I'm at home studying for an exam, and he knows not to bother me when I have a test coming up or I'll 'sit' him into tomorrow." She wore a sheepish sort of grin, but didn't seem any more apologetic than that for having deceived him.

"I won't keep you too long then. I wouldn't want him to get worried over nothing."

"Thanks. I probably shouldn't stay more than a couple hours. It'll take us two days to get back if we don't fly through the night, and I won't push Kirara like that if I don't have to."

"Well, here we are," Vanessa said when they stopped outside the building that had been her home for the past several months.

Kagome stared up in wonder. It wasn't the largest building on the grounds, but it did hold a sort of regality, and Vanessa thought it suited Sesshoumaru perfectly.

"Come on. My room's upstairs."

The miko followed silently, absorbing the exquisite simplicity of the décor. Vanessa remembered the first time she entered. The vaulted ceiling in that front hall, the patterned wooden floor… it was a far cry from the huts populating most of the villages she had seen.

Vanessa led Kagome into the suite she had shared with Rin and from the corner of her eye caught the other girl's shudder as she passed through the doorway. "Something wrong?"

Kagome started. "Not really… At least, I don't think so. There is a barrier around this area."

"Yes… there is. How did you know?"

"I felt it. It's different from a miko's barrier, but I could still feel it." Kagome rubbed her arms briefly, as if to wipe away the remnants of the barrier from her skin.

"Sesshoumaru keeps other youkai out of these rooms to protect Rin. He lives on the other side of those doors." Vanessa pointed toward the doors separating her rooms from Sesshoumaru's. "This is Rin's room," she said as they passed by. "And this… is my room!"

Vanessa swept in and turned once.

"It's… nice," Kagome said, sounding a bit disbelieving and glanced about the room. "I don't think Inuyasha would believe it."

"What?"

"That Sesshoumaru didn't have you staying in some cell… he's different here – or maybe he's just different when he's not trying to kill Inuyasha." She smirked at that. "It's so strange… 'Be a welcomed guest?' I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd hear that out of his mouth."

"Honestly, I don't think it would have been quite the same if Inuyasha were here with you."

"Probably… So. Want to see what I brought now?"

"Definitely." Vanessa sat next to Kagome on the bed and looked on eagerly with Kirara as Kagome opened up her yellow backpack.

"I didn't bring anything fancy, mainly things I thought you could use."

One by one, the miko brought out the items from her bag: a small sewing kit, first aid kit with bandages, ointment, and aspirin, a travel pot with utensils, several bars of camping soap that was safe to use on hair as well as clothing – it would definitely be lighter than carrying bottles of shampoo… Last were some warm socks and mittens.

"It might start getting cold. I think Sesshoumaru should be able to find some warm clothes, but these are from me."

"Thank you, Kagome. I really need to find a way to thank your mother. Oh, speaking of that. I need to get your address or phone number so I can contact you when I get home."

They set the things aside and Vanessa found something for Kagome to write on. After trading information and spending a few more minutes chatting, Kagome regretfully told Vanessa that she had to leave.

"Inuyasha is about the least patient person I know and I don't want to risk him going back to my time and find me missing."

"I understand," Vanessa said as she walked Kagome back to the front gates. "Really. Thank you so much for everything, and thank your mom, too, until I get back home and can thank her myself."

"I will. And good luck, Vanessa."

Sesshoumaru was waiting for them at the top of the stairs.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Kagome exclaimed and set her bag down to dig through it once more. When she emerged, she wore a look of triumph and held aloft an ancient, though apparently functional Polaroid camera.

"It's grandpa's," she said, catching Vanessa peering at the contraption. "I suppose with all the crazy things people do these days I could use a normal camera and have the film developed without a problem, but this has a much more immediate result. Sometimes I bring it back here, but it's so heavy I'd rather not carry around more than I have to. Anyway, I thought… maybe you two… Just for remembrance sake, of course…"

"I'd love a picture," Vanessa confirmed and glanced up at Sesshoumaru. "What about you?" He was staring between the girls wearing only a hint of the bafflement she knew he must be feeling. She almost laughed. Of course he wouldn't know what the device in Kagome's hands did. She was almost sure she had explained cameras at one time or another, but hearing a description and seeing the real thing were two very different things.

"You wouldn't mind taking a few pictures?" she asked Kagome.

"Of course not. I've got a few exposures left," Kagome said, checking the refill. "They're yours if you want them."

"You're the best, Kagome. Okay," Vanessa said rounding on Sesshoumaru, "I'd like a picture of the two of us, if you don't mind."

He looked at her skeptically. "A portrait? Do you truly wish to take the time–?"

Vanessa shook her head. "Not a painting. A photo. It's… Well, trust me on this one. It's much faster than sitting for a painting."

He didn't seem convinced.

"Just stand where I tell you and look at the box when Kagome holds it up. There will be a flash of light and some sounds, but nothing dangerous," she added quickly, almost as an afterthought, suddenly wondering how the taiyoukai would react to having his picture taken for the first time.

Sesshoumaru stared at her blankly, but finally nodded and looked toward Kagome. Vanessa moved in beside Sesshoumaru, feeling suddenly awkward. "Okay, smile for the camera!" Somehow she knew that even for this, he wouldn't crack a smile.

True to her word, there was a flash, causing Sesshoumaru to tense beside her, but he made no other move to investigate the source. Instead, he watched with thinly veiled curiosity as the camera whirred and finally spit out a white square. Vanessa took it from Kagome and set it aside to develop before returning to Sesshoumaru to make duplicates of the one they had just made.

She took two of Sesshoumaru alone and had Kagome take two of her. "One more," she said and trotted back to Sesshoumaru's side. Without warning, she put her arm around his waist and grinned up at the shocked confusion that played over his face – just as the camera flashed for the last time.

He stared back at her for a long moment and her grin faltered, but not from fear. Something… Kagome cleared her throat, breaking the spell neither realized they had been under. Vanessa stepped away and looked to Kagome, who was shifting a bit awkwardly on her feet. She took the photo and set it with the others.

"I… should really be going," Kagome said, signaling to Kirara that it was time. She reached once more into her bag and pulled out an envelope. "I took these before I left. I thought maybe you – both of you, would like to have them."

Inside were snapshots of Rin, by her self and with Jaken. Of course Ah-Un wouldn't be in them, as he was currently en route to the village now. Tears threatened at the thought of never seeing the little girl again, but Vanessa refused to let them fall. "Thank you, Kagome. This means so much to me. Wait here, just a moment."

Vanessa walked back to the stack of photos they had just taken and found Sesshoumaru holding one gingerly in his claws and peering at it intently. She sifted through the others, found the ones she was looking for and replaced the ones of Rin with those before handing the envelope back to Kagome. "I'd like Rin to have these."

Kagome nodded and tucked the packet into her bag before looking toward Sesshoumaru. "You take care of her, Sesshoumaru-sama."

He glanced up from his inspection of the photo and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

After Kagome left, Vanessa went back to Sesshoumaru to gather up the collection of photos. He watched her silently for a moment.

"She came without my half-brother," he observed.

"Yeah. Actually he doesn't even know she was here." Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows at that.

"She took a risk in coming here then."

"Maybe, but she's going back now. Kirara will take care of her."

"What did she want?" He sounded more curious than defensive. "Other than to nearly blind me with that… contraption of hers."

She smiled. "Kagome came with a few things she thought we could use on the journey."

"I see." He returned his attention to the photo in his hand. "I had thought perhaps…"

Perhaps what?

"You said your time holds no magic," he said suddenly, indicating the photo in his hand – the last one they had taken.

"That's not magic. Just chemistry."

"Chemistry."

"I'd like you to have a few. I already sent some with Kagome for Rin. Just… to remember."

"I could not forget," Sesshoumaru said softly. He looked like he would say more, but instead turned abruptly to return to the palace, leaving Vanessa to stare after him.

He didn't put the photo back.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru walked silently into his office and shut the door. Taking a seat at his desk, he gently laid the photo on the surface. He had watched the square darken and resolve into a likeness of them more perfect than the most skilled of painters could have accomplished.

'_Not magic' indeed._ What else could explain it? Still, something about it intrigued him.

Captured in that one frozen moment was everything that they shared: Vanessa, positively glowing with cheer and trust, and he, baffled by the actions of this mortal, human woman. She seemed to send him into a constant state of confusion whenever she was near, a state that could only be remedied by further interaction with her. And the more time he spent with her, the more he enjoyed her presence. No… he would not soon forget, with or without this 'photo.'

He set the photo in a certain drawer of his desk. The contents would forever be preserved as the day they were placed inside, and no hand but his or his kin could open it. It held the most precious of items, handed down through the ages. Everything from treaties to personal mementos lay within that drawer, and now, added to that family history, was an image of a mortal woman. His father must be laughing in his grave by now.

Sesshoumaru snorted. It was perfectly explainable, wanting to preserve the memory of this strange creature. After all, it wasn't everyday that one encountered someone from another time. He and his descendents could learn from her.

"_Sesshoumaru-sama?"_

He nearly jumped out of his seat. Snarling to himself, he waited. Kaminari didn't have Shizu's ability to read thoughts, only to project his own and hear those projected by his kind.

"_Sesshoumaru-sama, forgive me for interrupting, but if you have a moment I would like to speak with you. And the human, Vanessa, if she is available."_

Intrigued, Sesshoumaru went to find Vanessa. It wasn't often that Kaminari sought him out. Most times they simply co-existed on the same land, unless Sesshoumaru needed the eyes and wings of the horse-like scouts.

He found Vanessa quickly enough. She was in her room packing the things that Kagome brought her. The photos were stacked neatly beside her on the bed.

"Vanessa, would you come with me for a moment?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "Sure, what's up?"

"I am not certain," he said as they entered the hall. "Kaminari wishes to speak with us."

"Shizu's father? I wonder what he wants."

"We will find out soon enough."

Once past the gardens, Sesshoumaru lifted them into the sky and sped toward the far forest where Kaminari would be waiting. They touched down at the edge of the forest and almost immediately Kaminari stepped out to greet them with Shizu practically prancing at his flank. Sesshoumaru caught Vanessa's questioning glance, but he could no more guess what they were after than she.

"_Thank you for coming, Sesshoumaru-sama, Vanessa-san. I hope I have not caused too great an inconvenience?"_

"Not at all," Vanessa assured him, and he bobbed his head to her.

"_Sesshoumaru-sama, I would like to offer you my services."_

"Your services." At first Sesshoumaru didn't know what he meant. What could he think to do in the short time they had left?

The winged horses waited or his response, but he felt nearly as baffled as Vanessa looked. Shizu fidgeted excitedly, almost anxiously and ruffled her wings. It was about the same moment that realization dawned on Vanessa's face that Sesshoumaru knew what they were offering.

"You mean…?" Vanessa questioned uncertainly.

Shizu bobbed her head excitedly. _"Papa says that since we are able, we should help Sesshoumaru-sama any way we can. I thought that since you're taking such a long trip, we could help you get there faster."_

If Sesshoumaru were any judge of equine body language, he might have said that Kaminari gave his daughter a sharp look, even a stern word, but she looked only slightly abashed at speaking out of turn. _Shizu certainly has found her voice,_ he mused with a small smirk. _How many other lives will Vanessa touch before the end of her days?  
_

"_Forgive my daughter, Sesshoumaru-sama. Now that her tongue has loosened, she cannot seem to control it. But what she says is the truth. My herd owes you a great debt and we would do anything to aid you. Shizu and I would personally take you as far as you will allow us."_

"You owe me nothing. What was agreed upon by your ancestors and mine stands between them. I require nothing of you to share this land."

Actually, he never was entirely clear on the details of the agreement. As far as he was concerned, the herd members were simply further residents of his palace.

"_You are generous, Sesshoumaru-sama, but it would honor me and my clan if you would allow us to do this."_

Sesshoumaru glanced to Vanessa to gauge her reaction, but he really needn't have. He could feel her joy, presumably over keeping her friend just a little while longer. They _had_ grown quite close… and Vanessa's eyes took on a pleading quality when she turned to him. _Females…_

"I will allow it," he said and was utterly surprised when she squealed and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him fiercely. He could only stand there in stunned silence until she disengaged herself from him and fled to Shizu's side, glowing like a lamp with her blush. _Apparently she is pleased with my decision,_ he thought wryly, and decided that he hadn't entirely minded the contact. What was she doing to him?

He turned his mind to safer territory and addressed Kaminari, while Shizu and Vanessa moved several paces away. "It will be a long journey. What will you need?" Sesshoumaru found the idea of traveling with sentient horses intriguing. He'd never really thought of _asking_ a horse what it might need, not that he could under normal circumstances.

Kaminari pawed the ground thoughtfully. _"We can graze easily enough as long as there is edible greenery, but perhaps we should bring some grain, just to be sure. And a blanket each, if you would be kind enough."_

"I will see that you are comfortable for your trouble."

"_We will not require much. We are not used to being pampered like riding mounts, but I would like to be prepared."_

"Of course. I will see to the arrangements. Your herd will be taken care of in your absence?"

Kaminari bobbed his head. _"It is time my son stretched his wings, so to speak. He will keep order until I return."_

Sesshoumaru nodded. He remembered the last time he had been left in charge in his own father's extended absence. He only hoped the young horse would have Kaminari's council long after they returned.

"I will speak with Vanessa and find out more about where we are going. If you think of anything else, do not hesitate to contact me. We must be going back now to prepare. I plan to leave within the next few days."

"_We will be ready, my lord."_

"Vanessa," Sesshoumaru called to the females. "We must return."

She gave Shizu one last fond pat and trotted to his side, smiling sheepishly before slipping an arm around his waist to prepare for flight. Something felt right about her being at his side like that, but he forced the thought aside. She would not be there for long. "Where is your boldness now?" he murmured in her ear with a smirk as he pooled his youki at their feet. He could practically feel the heat rising in her cheeks.

"You continue to surprise me," he said finally, taking pity on her.

"Well… That's me. Always full of surprises." Something sounded… off in her voice. Had he offended her?

"There is nothing wrong with that," he assured her, wanting to bring some of her usual cheer back to her voice. "The occasional surprise can make life… interesting."

Sesshoumaru felt her shift to look up into his face. "Is something wrong?" he asked after a moment, keeping his gaze trained straight ahead.

"No. You just don't strike me as the type to enjoy surprises."

"It depends on the surprise."

"Well then… what makes a good surprise?"

"That depends on the person doing the surprising."

"Hm."

_You also continue to confuse me,_ he might have added, but wisely decided against it. He might have created more problems than it eliminated with such a comment. He would simply have to figure her out… without her help.

"We need to discuss what will be needed for this journey. I know nothing of the lands we will be crossing so I am relying on you to be sure that we have everything that we might require." He didn't even balk at admitting his lack of knowledge with her. Of course, he had never been to those lands, nor had he ever met anyone who had – before Vanessa.

Sesshoumaru set her down outside the door to the garden. She looked up at him and smiled suddenly. "Want to talk over dinner? I'm starving."

"Go up to your room. I will have something prepared." He watched her disappear through the doors and shook his head before heading to the kitchens. _Odd creature._

Sesshoumaru returned with their food to find Vanessa poring over a list at the table. She smiled at him when he knelt opposite her at the table and began filling a bowl for her.

"I've been thinking. If Shizu and Kaminari are coming too, then we can pack a little better than if it were just the two of us, but even so… I don't want to burden them too much."

"They are stronger than ordinary horses."

"That may be true, but they still have to get that extra weight off the ground. So we'll have to decide what we really need and what can be left behind or bought along the way..." She paused and frowned. "That could be a problem."

"What could?"

"Money. Unless you have gold or silver, I doubt we could get your currency exchanged if we needed to buy anything."

"If gold or silver is what we need, then that is what we shall have. What else?"

Vanessa took a bite and peered at her list. "Well, I started thinking about what Shizu and Kaminari might need. I think we should bring along some feed for them. There will be some areas that won't be very green. And blankets. I don't want them to get sick just because they're helping us. Maybe some brushes?"

"Kaminari suggested as much. I will take care of their needs. What do _you_ need?"

"Warm clothes… It'll be getting cold soon. I think another set like the ones you gave me for riding would be fine if I could wear them in layers. And a cloak…"

She cocked her head and gave him an odd sort of penetrating look then, one that put him on guard.

"Do you have a cloak with a hood on it?" she asked finally.

"Yes… why?"

"Well… You don't look like anyone else we'll see where we are going, and…"

"You want me to hide." He couldn't believe she would ask it of him. Hide who he was? Unthinkable. "I will not," he said, closing the topic. Or so he thought.

"Look, I don't like it any better than you do. Honestly, I like the way you look."

That caught him off guard. She had never mentioned his looks before. He was contemplating the odd tingle left in the wake of those simple words when he realized that she was still speaking.

"…the lands we'll be visiting before we cross the ocean… They don't easily accept things that are different, or that they don't understand. I can almost guarantee that we won't see anyone else with pointed ears or eyes the color of yours. Your markings… Well, those can be explained as tattoos easily enough, but for the rest, even your hair… you don't look nearly old enough to have a head full of silver hair. They'll kill you if they think you're connected to magic in any way. I don't want anything to happen to you. Please, trust me on this point."

Her eyes begged him to listen, to set aside his pride and accept the advice of a human woman. If everyone they encountered had similar features to Vanessa, then yes, he would look different. He knew that, but the fact that the differences would undoubtedly be noticed wasn't why she wanted to hide his appearance. She seemed to be frightened not _that_ they would react, but of _how_ they would react. What sort of people were these that she thought _he_ should fear _them_? What did he have to fear from humans? Still… if there were enough of them, even he could not fend them off indefinitely.

"You know the customs better than I," he conceded finally, and Vanessa let out the breath that she had been holding.

"While we're on that subject, there's something else."

What could it be now?

"I think that when we get to the point where you should start covering yourself, we should send Shizu and Kaminari back. Wings will be harder to hide and there simply aren't winged horses there. They'd be captured and put on display or taken to be studied, or killed as trophies–"

"I would not allow anything to befall them – or you – but if you feel so strongly about it, I will send them home when you say it is time, and I will wear the cloak."

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru. There may well be nothing to worry about, but I don't want to take the chance."

"I understand. Now. What else?"

She sat back and picked up her list again. "Do you think I could get some boots? Sandals aren't really my idea of proper traveling shoes – at least… not the sort of travel that we'll be doing."

Sesshoumaru nearly smiled at her. She was so different from the females he was used to, preferring practical, almost men's clothing over the pretty things she had been wearing during her stay. "I am certain we can find something suitable to your tastes."

She grinned. "What do you have for travel food? Even you can't bring dinner if there's nothing to hunt."

"We have the same as any other traveler – dried or preserved foods."

Vanessa looked at her list again. It was completely incomprehensible to Sesshoumaru, being written with the odd characters – letters – of her language. It would have been useless for him to try to read what she had written. "Kagome gave me some things to cook with so maybe we can bring a little life to that dried food."

"Hn."

She had shown him his name once – at least she had shown him something that was the best she could figure it would be spelled using her letters. Perhaps one day he too would learn to decipher them. How much would change for him between this time and hers? He wondered briefly if it would even be possible to find her again after so many years. Would he want to? Would he even remember her after five centuries? Of course he would, how could he not?

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Hm?"

"I asked if you could think of anything else. You were wearing such a frown that I thought I must have forgotten something important."

"No, you seem to have it well in hand. I will gather what we need tomorrow and you can match it to your list."

"Sounds like a plan." She set the parchment down and fidgeted with a loose string on her sleeve. At Sesshoumaru's questioning look, she finally admitted to being nervous about leaving. "What if all of this turns out to be for nothing? What if it doesn't work?"

Sesshoumaru gave something that might have been a shrug. "Then we return here."

Vanessa's face fell a little.

"Could you be happy here?" he asked, feeling rather awkward. "If you were not able to return to your time, I mean." For some reason this answer was very important to him.

"I think I could be… I don't know. You've been so good to me."

"But?"

"But if I were here permanently, I think I would feel like a burden. Look at everything that has happened in the few months I've been here. I'd be nothing but trouble for you for years to come… that is, if I stayed here in your palace."

"You are no burden," he said softly. "You…" He stopped short. What more could he say? That she had shown him what it meant to care again? She had, hadn't she? He wouldn't have done half the things he did in the past months if he didn't care some small amount at least. And there was no time left to investigate this realization.

"You have not been a burden," he finished lamely.

She gave him a curious look and her mouth twisted into a sort of half smile, but she let the moment pass.

"Well, I guess I should go and get the rest of my things together. I'm sure you have a lot of work still to do before we leave, ruling a territory and all."

Sesshoumaru watched her gather her list and disappear into her room.

No time… and still so much he didn't know about her.

VvVvVvVvV

Two nights after Sesshoumaru decided to take the horses up on their offer, he came to Vanessa again. She had hardly seen him in all that time, but it seemed every time she turned around, another item was added to the collection of things they would be bringing with them. Everything but the grain and other supplies for Shizu and Kaminari was stacked neatly in the corner by her balcony door.

Sesshoumaru had found her another set of hakama and haori like the one she already had. On top of that was a light cloak made of what felt like cotton and another heavier fur-lined cloak made of wool. On the floor next to the clothes was a pair of sturdy, yet somehow delicate-looking black leather boots. She had tried them on immediately and found them to be quite comfortable. She didn't know how he did it, but Sesshoumaru always seemed to know just what size would be right for her.

The rest were sacks of dried meat, fruit and nuts, rice and some spices. It certainly wouldn't last them the entire trip, but when there was nothing else to be found from their surroundings, it would serve just fine. The best thing was that even when they had gathered everything she could think of and added her own possessions, it wasn't that big of a pile. She didn't see anything of Sesshoumaru's, but she assumed that he would gather his own things.

Sesshoumaru came in and gave the pile an appraising look before seating himself on the cushions. He hardly looked it, but Vanessa knew that the past several days had been stressful for him. After all, it wasn't often that a ruler just left with barely a word of warning. She wondered how Saburo was holding up.

"Is everything in order?" he asked from his seat, propping his elbow up on one knee and leaning back against the wall. In spite of everything, he seemed to be exceptionally relaxed, especially considering that any day now he would start probably the biggest journey of his life to date. Vanessa on the other hand, had a stomach that felt like nothing more than a tangle of knots. Maybe he knew that and was simply trying not to add to her (very likely irrational) worries. Whatever his reason for being some measure of stability in her world, she was grateful and flopped down beside him.

"I think that's everything," she said. "All that's left, other than Shizu and Kaminari's things, is what you're bringing."

"Good."

He was quiet for a moment and then dropped his hand from his knee to his lap.

"If you are certain that you wish to make this journey, then we will leave at dawn tomorrow."

Dawn. She had the feeling that she was going to get very well accustomed to dawn departures in the weeks to come.

"I'm going," she said firmly. "I have to."

Sesshoumaru nodded as though he hadn't expected anything less. "I will have these things brought down in the morning then," he said and rose to his feet once more. "You should get some sleep. You may have experience riding, but it something else entirely to sit a saddle for days on end, and it will be some time before you feel a real bed beneath you once more."

He held out his hand to pull her to her feet and she accepted. This was it – her last night as a guest under Sesshoumaru's roof, and she didn't think she'd get a wink of sleep the entire night. "Okay," she said. "Good night then, Sesshoumaru."

"I will wake you in time to say your good-byes."

Vanessa had had dinner with Rai and Saburo earlier that night, but she didn't want to miss seeing them one last time.

"Thank you." With one last look at the pile that would be her life until she either returned home or returned to Japan, she went to her room and tried to find sleep.

As much as she tossed and stared up at the ceiling through the night, thoughts and worries continuing to rage through her mind, sleep must have found her eventually because, all too soon, she was being gently shaken awake.

"Vanessa, it is time," floated a disembodied voice out of the darkness.

"Hmm?"

"Vanessa." The voice was sterner this time. She cracked her eyes open and squinted at the dark shape above her. Not dark… Just silhouetted against the light from the hall.

"Oh. Sorry," she yawned. "I'm up."

"Hardly," Sesshoumaru countered with a snort, his voice light with amusement. He sounded almost… excited, if one could believe that, about leaving. Well… excited about something anyway. Hadn't he said he enjoyed being outdoors more than in the palace? Now that she thought about it, he hadn't left the palace once since she had been there, except for that last trip to see Kagome… and that wasn't exactly a pleasure excursion. He hadn't gone scouting, patrolling… Nothing. No wonder he seemed eager to get out and range.

"Just give me a minute to change. I'll be right out."

Sesshoumaru swept out of the room, but not before lighting a lamp for her. Vanessa changed quickly and stowed her pajamas in her bag.

When she emerged from her room, Sesshoumaru wasn't anywhere to be found, and neither were the bags. He wasn't in his quarters either when she poked her head in, nor was he in the hall. _Is he that eager to leave?_ Up until now he had seemed to be against the whole idea. What changed?

Vanessa slung her remaining bag over her shoulder and stepped out into the hall. Maybe he was waiting downstairs. As she descended the staircase, she spied Saburo hurrying past. He paused and took a few steps back to greet her when he saw her, too.

"Ah, Vanessa-san. You're up!"

"Unfortunately," she grinned. "Do you know where our esteemed lord has run off to? I seem to have lost him."

"I just saw him. He's out front with Kaminari and young Shizu."

"They're here already?" That the herd lived within the palace walls was generally kept secret. Had they compromised all of that just to help her?

"Of course. Did you expect to carry your bags all the way out to them? They came in through the front gate to avoid suspicion, if that's what you're worried about."

How did he do that? Vanessa was about to ask him if he really did have some sort of telepathic ability, but he interrupted her thought.

"Forgive me, Vanessa-san. I have to run, but I will be out shortly with Rai to see you off."

"Okay. See you then."

He hurried off to finish his task, leaving Vanessa with more butterflies than she had gone to bed with. Why was she so nervous? Nothing could go wrong with Sesshoumaru there, right? Famous last words, if she'd ever heard any.

Nevertheless, she made her way out to where Sesshoumaru was standing with their winged friends. He glanced up at her approach, but did not cease his inspection of the ties securing everything to the horses' backs. The saddle caught her eye though. It wasn't a saddle exactly, not in the conventional sense, more of a contoured padding with some straps holding it in place. When Shizu shifted her wings, Vanessa noticed that the soft padding moved with her, allowing her flight muscles to move freely.

Shizu danced excitedly when she saw Vanessa, but Sesshoumaru laid his hand on her neck to quiet her. He wasn't finished checking her load yet. There was just space enough for the bag that Vanessa carried and he took it from her silently to secure it with the others.

"It's not too much is it, Shizu? If it's too heavy I can leave some things behind."

"_Don't be silly. It feels a little strange to be weighted down like this, but it's not too heavy."_

"She is strong," Sesshoumaru said as he stepped up to Vanessa's side, just as Rai and Saburo came down to meet them, and Shizu ducked her head bashfully under his praise. He patted her neck and gave Vanessa one last glance before moving to stand by Kaminari's head.

"Vanessa-san, we made it," Saburo called.

She turned to them as the approached. "You didn't think I would be able to leave without saying good-bye, did you?"

Vanessa tried not to cry as she hugged her youkai friends fiercely. "I wish I could take all of you with me," she said, wiping her cheeks.

"Ah, but this is where we belong," Rai said gently, and embraced her once more.

"Who knows, perhaps we will meet again one day," Saburo added with an enigmatic smile.

She doubted it. A lot could happen in five centuries, but then again… Saburo did seem to _know_ things. "Maybe we will," she said dubiously. She wouldn't get her hopes up too high.

Saburo cupped his hands to give her a leg up and showed her some buckled straps that she could fasten around her knees if she felt unstable. "Wouldn't want you tumbling out if you fell asleep," he explained.

"I was wondering what those were for."

Finally he stepped back and put an arm around Rai. "Take care of this one, Sesshoumaru-sama," he called to his lord and was rewarded with a glare. Vanessa was surprised he didn't mutter under his breath about everyone telling him to do what he had set out to do in the first place. Maybe he did. She smiled down at her friends and took hold of the thick strap over the pommel. Reins would be useless, and rather offensive, to sentient mounts, but it was reassuring to have something to hold onto.

Sesshoumaru vaulted onto Kaminari's back with the ease of a seasoned rider. "If you are ready, then let us leave."

Vanessa nodded and Shizu went to her father's side. Rai and Saburo followed a few paces behind.

"This place will be just as you left it, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"See that it is." He hesitated. "Be well, both of you."

With that, Kaminari whirled and trotted out the gate.

"As he watches over you, you take care of him also," Saburo said in all seriousness.

Vanessa glanced at the now-empty gate and nodded. She didn't know what she could possibly do to 'take care' of Sesshoumaru, or even what Saburo meant, really. "I'll do what I can. Take care of yourselves, too. If you really think we'll meet again, you've got centuries yet to keep yourselves out of trouble."

"This is the one you have to worry about, not me," Rai laughed and jabbed her mate lightly in the ribs.

Saburo just grinned and waved.

"Let's go," she said to Shizu finally and they too left the gates to meet the males down on the road.

It was a little strange, surrendering control to Shizu. "I'll have to get used to the idea that you're not just a horse," she admitted.

"_The wings didn't give me away?"_ Shizu laughed. _"Or my voice in your head?"_

"You know what I mean. I think it'll be different when we fly, but on the ground experience is telling me that I'm sitting on a horse."

"_Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'll have to get used to the idea of being a pack animal."_

"Touché."

Kaminari turned to face them as they approached, but it was Sesshoumaru who spoke. "We will fly until mid morning and then stop for a short while. For now we will simply head westward until Vanessa sees anything she might recognize."

_Like cities full of people who would hunt you. _Still, it was as good a plan as any. "Let's go then," she said.

"_Hold on tight. This might be… bumpy."_

"Bumpy?" But without further explanation, Shizu launched herself into a gallop down the road.

Vanessa tightened her grip on the strap and held on with her knees. Meanwhile, Shizu opened her wings and leapt, beating hard, downward strokes, but it wasn't enough. Vanessa heard her mental, as well as vocal, grunt when her hooves touched ground again with a jarring impact. _"Sorry,"_ she muttered before leaping again. She strained against gravity, but this time her efforts brought them farther from the ground below. Vanessa let her concentrate on flying until they drew nearer to where Kaminari and Sesshoumaru circled lazily on a thermal.

Shizu's sides were heaving, but Vanessa could tell that she wasn't struggling nearly as much, now that she could use the currents to her advantage. "You said it wasn't too heavy," she whispered, hoping they were still out of Sesshoumaru's hearing.

"_It's not. We're in the air, aren't we? Just… more than I had anticipated. It'll get easier, don't worry."_

"If you say so." She was glad that Sesshoumaru had already set a stopping time. She didn't think Shizu would admit to needing a rest, not with her father flying effortlessly beside them.

"Ready?" Sesshoumaru called to them.

"Yes." _"Yes,"_ Shizu and Vanessa said in unison, and then giggled, uncertainties set aside.

"Westward, then," he said and Kaminari turned away from the faint glow of the approaching dawn.

::To my Reviewers (who didn't have handy 'reply' links)::

**Sikroura**: Your name's really long, can I shorten it to this? I hope the past chapter or two have resolved some of your rather significant Sesshoumaru issues. Vanessa's back, not necessarily to stay, but all is relatively well in the world. I think. For now. Does this mean that I get those cookies?

**Anna Saphir**: Thanks for the clarification. I figured the translation wasn't quite accurate (when is it?). Anyway, what's the fun in fan fiction when you can't fudge the 'facts' a bit?

**UnmanlyerRoses**: The British weren't the only ones to cross the Atlantic, in fact they weren't even the first to colonize the 'New World.' Hint? I think so. As you can probably tell from this chapter, our hapless pair will be bypassing quite a bit in their flight across the continent, but they do have to land sometime, so… We'll see what kind of culture shocks we can introduce them to.

**Bobalina**: I know, it is unfair, but that's life. All a means to an end, I promise.

**HandClap**: No, I didn't die of a horrible disease, unless you call finals stress a disease… Because I'm suffering from that right now (Semesters in Germany don't quite line up with those state-side.) Two and a half more weeks and that'll all be over though :sigh:

**ItsNotMe**: 2 months??? It's seriously been that long?? And happy birthday!! I don't even know what the current date is half the time, so I hope this posting is near enough that you can think of it as my gift to you… sort of

**If I didn't reply to you this time around… Well, the earlier chapters aren't so relevant anymore. I'll try harder to catch everyone in a timelier manner next time. Really! Keep reviewing, I love it, and creativity seems to flow better when I know people are expecting an update.**


	22. Walls

A/N: I'm… not even going to try to come up with an excuse…

Into the East

Chapter twenty-two: Walls

Posted: 22 April 2007

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

Nearly week of traveling found the group well into the continent. A human and three youkai, an odd group no matter how you look at it, especially setting out as they were into unknown lands. They had flown to the southernmost islands and crossed the sea at its narrowest point before continuing their journey.

So far it was fairly uneventful. They passed over forest and mountain. At night they slept beneath rocky outcroppings or in dark thickets that were surprisingly warm and cozy when the chill of early autumn nights took over.

Sesshoumaru would scout the area each evening and always came back with some small catch for their dinner, and even located the occasional hot spring, but more often than not it was a cold stream. It was easy to fall into a routine, and as Vanessa laid out her bedroll for the night, she glanced over her shoulder at the taiyoukai.

It might have been like their travels before, except for the fact that they'd barely spoken. If it weren't for Shizu, and occasionally Kaminari, she thought she might have gone crazy. Sesshoumaru had been quiet for most of the trip so far – not that he was overly 'talkative' by nature, but it was still awkward between them, just as it had been since she had announced she was leaving. Maybe tonight after Shizu and Kaminari went to bed she'd try to talk to him about it.

The winged horses had fallen into the habit of wandering off to graze while Vanessa and Sesshoumaru made camp, and then going to bed shortly after returning. They were doing most of the work after all, but they would go to bed just after the sun set, which left a couple hours at least before Vanessa was ready to sleep. Normally she would have liked to spend that time talking to Sesshoumaru, but he didn't seem to be in any kind of talking mood at all so far.

When they had set out that first day, it seemed like things might have changed, that the awkward silences had ended, but apparently that wasn't the case.

_Tonight_, Vanessa told herself as she watched him watching their dinner on the fire. _I can't take this much longer._

"_Vanessa?"_ She was jerked out of her thoughts by Shizu's voice in her head just as her friend stepped into the small clearing. Kaminari followed close behind her.

"What's up?"

Sesshoumaru looked up at the sound of her voice, but when he saw Shizu walking toward Vanessa he turned his attention back to the fire.

"_Why don't you talk to Sesshoumaru-sama?"_ she asked without preamble, and Vanessa glanced worriedly in Sesshoumaru's direction. Shizu laughed in her head.

"_Don't worry. Only you can hear me."_

But _he_ would be able to hear Vanessa.

"Sesshoumaru, Shizu and I are going for a walk."

"_But–"_

"The hen is almost finished," he told her.

"I know. We won't be long."

Before she could complain or pose any more objections, Vanessa grabbed a fistful of mane and led Shizu a few paces away before swinging herself up onto her back.

"What's the big idea saying that in front of Sesshoumaru?" she hissed when they were far enough into the forest that she hoped her voice wouldn't reach the taiyoukai's sensitive ears.

"_Well, you've hardly talked at all in almost a week. I know you don't while we're flying. You can't. And you barely say two words to one another when we stop to make camp."_

Vanessa didn't know what to say. It was true, and she was trying to find a way to remedy the situation. Somehow.

"He… We haven't really had much to talk about. That's all."

Shizu narrowed her blue eyes. _"Get on."_

"But–"

Suddenly she grabbed the back of Vanessa's kimono in her teeth and tossed her up onto her back.

"All right… Where are we going?" she asked as she straightened herself and sat comfortably.

"_Keep quiet. We're going back."_

"Okay…"

"_Shh."_

Shizu stole back to the campsite on silent hooves and Vanessa wondered if even Sesshoumaru could hear her. It didn't seem that he did.

"_Look at him."_

She only just caught herself from asking 'what about him?'

"_I may not have spoken to him until recently, but I've known Sesshoumaru-sama my entire life, and this isn't like him. He hasn't been himself since we left. Surely you must have noticed."_

Of course she had. She noticed long before they ever left the palace.

"_And it's the same with you. You need each other. Everyone else can see it but you. Talk to him, Vanessa. We all know he's too stubborn to make the first move, so make him talk and get rid of whatever this nonsense is between you."_

"I was already planning to," she said quietly and slid off her friend's back. "I will…"

"_Good. I'm going to bed," _Shizu said with a bob of her head. _"Good night, Sesshoumaru-sama."_ She bowed to him before folding herself up next to her father.

Sesshoumaru returned the gesture with a nod and glanced at Vanessa before slicing off a piece of chicken for her. She accepted it with a smile and sat beside him.

They ate silently. Again.

"So… think we're making good time?" _Way to get deep, Ness… Baby steps._

"Actually… yes. Shizu and Kaminari are doing better than I could have hoped."

"Good." And that was it. How was this so difficult?

After dinner, Vanessa curled up on her bedroll and tried to sleep, but it wouldn't come.

_Tonight,_ she reminded herself and turned her head to find Sesshoumaru staring into the fire again.

So she rolled over and poked his boot. Well it got his attention anyway. He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. "Yes?"

"You're brooding."

The other eyebrow rose to meet the first. "Brooding."

"Yeah." She sat up to face him with her back to the fire. "Ever since… Well, ever since I said I wanted to go things have been different, especially after… after what happened in Kagome's village."

Sesshoumaru didn't say anything.

"It's just… I want things to be like before… but I guess it can't be, you know? It must seem pretty pointless to try and fix a friendship with someone you'll never see again, but I'd hate for all this awkwardness to be the last you remember of me. I just–"

"Stop," he interrupted, holding up his hand, and then he sighed and let it drop to his lap again. Vanessa waited. "It is true," he said finally. "Your leaving has troubled me since that day in the gardens. I couldn't then, and still cannot understand why you would choose to leave when it so obviously hurts you."

"Sesshoumaru, I'm sorry. I–"

"You have to. I know. I do understand duty, and I would not be doing mine if I were to keep you from going… or to make it harder than it already is. You feel this is something you need to do, and I… will simply have to come to terms with the fact that I will likely never understand the mind of a human female."

That little sparkle returned to his eyes – or maybe it was merely the firelight. Nevertheless, Vanessa couldn't stop her grin and scooted to his side to lean on his shoulder. She felt him look down at her curiously. It was a bold move considering that they had hardly spoken in weeks, but she didn't care. She missed his subtle teasing and how every now and then he would share something with her that she just knew was kept secret from everyone else. She missed… him.

"Does this mean you won't be giving me the cold shoulder anymore?"

"I really had no intention of doing so before," he said and shifted slightly – not to push her away, only to get more comfortable. That alone made Vanessa feel that they were finally putting this mess behind them – at least for the few months it would take them to get her home… "I suppose…" he said softly. "I retreated to my thoughts and did not consider how you would feel."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I've sort of shaken up the peace in your world the past few months, haven't I?"

"Yes. You have."

She swatted him lightly on the chest, ignoring his surprised look. "You're not supposed to agree."

"But then I would be lying."

"Humor me," she said and yawned wide.

"You should go to sleep," Sesshoumaru said softly. Vanessa was almost there already.

"Can I say here?" she murmured sleepily.

Sesshoumaru hesitated and didn't answer for a long time, but finally pulled the edge of his own cloak around her as she drifted deeper and deeper into sleep.

VvVvVvVvV

_Can I stay here?_

Vanessa's words rolled around and around in his head long after she fell asleep against his shoulder. He hadn't expected her to come to him like that, though he should have suspected something when she and Shizu disappeared earlier. But he was glad. And she had a point… he had been brooding. Did he really expect someone like her to accept his silence for the entire journey – a journey that could take months?

_Can I stay here?_

He knew she only meant that she wanted to sleep where she was, but that simple question stirred within him once more the desire to never let her go.

_Can I stay here?_

Sesshoumaru slid his arm around her shoulders under his cloak and waited for the dawn. She was right, and he wouldn't want _her_ last impression of _him_ to be the tension between them over the past weeks.

As the sun rose, Vanessa began to stir, and Sesshoumaru removed his arm from her shoulders. She awoke with a start and sat up, letting the cloak slide from her shoulders. And as she looked around her, he caught her eye and she blushed furiously.

"Um… hi," she said.

"Good morning."

"Sorry I crashed on you last night."

"Don't be," he said and stood. "I will find something for your breakfast."

He felt her eyes on him as he disappeared into the forest to find that stream. There wasn't much time left, and somehow he felt certain that this was going to work. It was only a matter of time before she would be out of his life forever and he was determined not to waste another moment.

She was gathering up their things to prepare to load up Kaminari and Shizu when he returned with the fish and set them over the fire. Vanessa glanced over at him several times, almost shyly, and Sesshoumaru waited patiently, unsure whether he should try to talk to her or let her come to him again.

After a while, she sat down beside him and wrapped her arms under her knees. "So…" she began hesitantly. "Did you mean it?"

"Did I mean what?"

"What you said… about my leaving bothering you."

Sesshoumaru kept his silence. He didn't like to repeat himself when he chanced to say something remotely personal. But he also knew that Vanessa would be upset by this silence. As the fish began to crisp over the fire, he finally looked over at her.

"What makes you think I would tell you that if I did not mean it?"

She really should know better than to question his sincerity. After all, as she so often loved to point out, she would be able to sense a lie.

"Why didn't you tell me before? Why make me think you didn't care at all?"

Because he didn't want to care. Would it have made any difference if he had told her before? She would still leave. Caring for this mortal only complicated things.

"It was simpler." It was partly true, but still…

"Was it really?"

No. It wasn't. He'd felt the tension growing between them as acutely as she had and he'd tried to distance himself even farther from it. It had always worked in the past – until Vanessa. Whether she was conscious of it or not, she wouldn't let him continue on as he always had.

"Your fish is ready," he said instead of answering directly and rose to begin retying their packs to Kaminari and Shizu's saddles, leaving his own fish uneaten.

After they had washed up in the stream, Vanessa approached Sesshoumaru once more. "Here," she said and handed him a small leaf-wrapped bundle. He looked at her curiously.

"It's from breakfast. In case you get hungry later."

"…Thank you."

A silence fell over them.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you away. I just want to understand you, Sesshoumaru. I guess we have that in common."

"I suppose we do…"

"I guess… we should get going. Can we talk more tonight?"

"Of course."

Before long they were in the air again and flying steadily westward. Sesshoumaru was interested to find out how Vanessa planned to find their way once they reached this 'Europe' of hers. But since they would eventually be sailing, he supposed they would simply continue until reaching the ocean.

He looked forward to talking more about it with her, but unfortunately the wind and distance between them while they flew made conversation impossible. Occasionally he would relay information through Kaminari and Shizu, but for the most part he was left to his own thoughts.

When the sun was high in the sky, Sesshoumaru began looking for a suitable place to take a break. He scanned the landscape around them and when his gaze passed to the south he stopped. There was something there… something that didn't quite belong. He leapt off of Kaminari's back and flew on his own.

"Continue without me for a moment, Kaminari-san."

"_Yes, my lord."_

Sesshoumaru floated where he was, searching the land to the south until Shizu and Vanessa circled in front of him.

"What are you looking at?" Vanessa called before Shizu took them around again.

"There is something… Shizu, follow me down and ask your father to join us."

When they landed on a rocky hillside, Sesshoumaru drew Vanessa aside. "What do you know of this land?" he asked her.

"Um… honestly? Not a whole lot. What do you want to know?"

He looked south once more and then back to Vanessa. Perhaps she would recognize it if she could see it. "Would you come with me for a moment?"

"Sure…" She stepped up to him, rightly assuming that they would take to the air, and as he slipped his arm around her waist she smiled up at him. Her grip tightened as it always did when they left the ground, but he would never drop her.

They rose higher and higher until the pale ribbon in the distance was clearly visible – at least to Sesshoumaru. "Do you see that?" he asked, nodding to the south. She squinted and shielded her eyes against the sun glare.

"Is that…? You want to know what that is? Way out there?"

"You know?"

"It's got to be Great Wall of China."

"Great Wall…" It was huge, the largest structure he'd ever seen, and stone by the look of it. "Who built this wall?"

"Um… the Chinese? It was meant to protect their northern border, and I think even now it's already centuries old."

"Humans built this?"

"Well, yeah. At least, as far as I know." Impossible. How could mere humans have constructed something of this magnitude?

"I should like to see this wall someday," he said and Vanessa looked up at him.

"Why don't we?"

"What?"

"Why don't we go see it? It can't be that far out of the way."

"You would delay your return simply to satisfy my curiosity?"

"Sure, why not?" she shrugged. "We're here, and I've never seen it."

"If you are certain… Then we should collect our companions."

They took a brief break and ate their lunch. "Just one thing, Sesshoumaru," Vanessa said as they were mounting up.

"Yes?"

"Well, we'll be coming at the wall from the side that's meant to stay out. I don't know what kind of guards are on the wall or what their range is, but… I'd rather not be shot out of the sky."

"_I agree with Vanessa," _Shizu put in a bit nervously.

"We will use the appropriate caution," he assured them. In truth, he had no desire to be shot full of arrows either. "Fly low and when we get closer take to the ground." Near the trees they'd be somewhat less visible than they would be against the open sky.

They lifted off, and Shizu pulled away to the usual distance and Sesshoumaru was once more left to his thoughts. Perhaps… he should try initiating conversation with Kaminari? He heaved a mental sigh. There was no way he would return home from this trip the same youkai as he left.

"Kaminari-san," Sesshoumaru began.

"_Yes, my lord?"_

And… then he drew a blank. "Nothing. Forgive the interruption."

Kaminari turned his head just enough to peer back at him with one blue eye, then tossed his mane in what might have been a shrug.

Moments later, he looked back again. _"That Vanessa is an intriguing human,"_ he said.

Sesshoumaru started and cast a wary glance at the human, and Kaminari actually laughed.

"_She cannot hear me – or you. This conversation is just between us."_

That only made him feel marginally better. Well… he did want conversation.

"Yes… She is rather unusual. She has told me a great many strange things about her time."

"_From what Shizu tells me, it seems that the world as we know it will not last."_

"It would seem so."

"_Has she made any mention of what she intends to do when she returns home?"_

"Only that she will finish her education and move on. I suppose she intends to put her time here behind her."

Kaminari was silent for a long time. _"I don't believe it will be as simple as that."_

"What do you mean?" Of course it was simple. She would leave and live out her life in her own time, just as he would live out his. It was what she wanted, and it was what he had been hoping for all along… wasn't it?

"_Look at her."_

Reluctantly, Sesshoumaru slid his gaze to the side to peer at Vanessa from the corner of his eye. She sat easily on Shizu's back, rocking gently with each wing beat, and laughed occasionally at something the horse said to her. "What of her?"

"_She is happy here."_

"She mourns the family and friends she left behind. She would be better off in her own home."

"_In a way… this has become her home. She could be happy here."_

"It has already been decided. She is leaving. That is why we set out on this journey to begin with. Nothing changes that. Why do you say these things?"

"_I merely wished to point out that what makes a person happy is not easily left behind."_

"Hm."

Sesshoumaru decided then that perhaps conversation wasn't so great after all, and kept his peace until evening came, but Kaminari's words plagued him. She wouldn't be happy. This wasn't her home, but he still jumped constantly between hoping she would change her mind and wishing the journey would come to an end quickly.

He couldn't make up his mind already, and the fact that Kaminari's words caused him to tend toward a solution that was as undesirable as it was appealing, and just as impossible no matter how he looked at it… gave him a headache.

As dusk approached, Sesshoumaru called a halt. They would reach the wall on hoof by mid morning the next day. He'd found a small spring not far from where they set up camp and knew that Vanessa would enjoy a hot bath.

He scouted the area for any signs of possible danger, but found nothing, and when he returned to camp with dinner, Vanessa was sitting by the fire with her back to him, digging around in one of their packs. Kaminari and Shizu had already disappeared into the forest to graze.

"I found a spring."

She jumped as he stepped up beside her and set the small deer by the fire.

"I think you've read my mind," she said and stood to watch over his shoulder as he cleaned the animal.

"Have I?"

"How else would you know that I was just thinking about how nice it would be to have dinner and a bath?"

"Well… It is evening, and I have noticed that you enjoy having a meal at this time," he said dryly. "And you have not seen hot water in days. I assumed."

"I think maybe you just know me that well."

Let her think what she wanted. It didn't hurt that he also wanted a hot bath.

When the meat was roasting happily over the fire, Sesshoumaru sat across from her and began unlacing his armor.

He could feel her eyes on him and wondered what she might be thinking as he let the heavy bone armor fall to the ground, but didn't look at her. She wanted to ask him something, he could feel it, and wasn't surprised when she finally spoke.

"Sesshoumaru…" she began hesitantly.

He looked up at her, but she didn't go any further. "Yes?" he prompted. She looked him up and down with a small frown.

"I was just wondering… I mean, I'm only curious…"

It was quite entertaining, watching her squirm, but there was obviously something she wanted to know, something that she wasn't sure how to ask.

"Is there something you wish to ask me?" he asked after another long pause.

"Actually… Now, please don't take this the wrong way, but I couldn't help wondering… with all the ties on your clothing – not to mention the laces on your armor, how…?"

So that was it. She wanted to know he functioned with just one hand. He knew she wouldn't be intentionally cruel, that her question really was nothing more than her curiosity, but to be reminded once more that he was incomplete…

"You wish to know how I dress with just one hand," he said, and even he could hear the coldness in his voice. She fidgeted under his gaze and he could feel the minutes ticking by, but this was not how he wanted it to be between them.

"Not without difficulty," he admitted finally. "Jaken often assists." But the imp was left behind. It _had_ been difficult to change and to dress without his tiny aid, but there was nothing to be done about that now.

"If you want…" Vanessa said, drawing his attention once more. "If it would make things easier for you…" She was fidgeting again, and Sesshoumaru couldn't help wondering where on earth she was going with this.

"What I'm trying to say is if you would allow me to, I could… help. I'm sure you can manage," she added hastily, dismissing the idea. "I mean, obviously you can. I just thought…"

He studied her for a long time. She wanted him to trust her. She wanted him to let her in, but he didn't want her pity. He hated that simple tasks were suddenly difficult, and yet… what had Vanessa ever offered him that had anything but friendship at its heart? Finally he nodded slowly.

"Your assistance would be… appreciated." And after a brief pause he added, "Thank you."

She beamed at him, "Just tell me what do."

Sesshoumaru nodded, but he couldn't quite share her joy. It was always a stretch to let anyone help him, and this time was no different. This was bound to make things awkward between them. Vanessa ate silently, sneaking a peak at him every now and again, but he barely noticed.

Presently, Shizu and Kaminari returned and settled themselves in the shadows away from the fire.

"Good night, Shizu. Sleep well," Vanessa said as Shizu said her 'good nights.'

Well, there was no time like the present, so he rose and walked over to Vanessa. "Come. I will show you to the spring."

He waited a few moments for her to gather her things before grabbing his own wash supplies, and then led the way to the hot spring. Vanessa stumbled in the dark, and immediately Sesshoumaru was at her side, silently guiding her through the brush.

"The spring is just ahead," he said when they were close. "I will wait until you are finished."

"I won't be long."

"Take your time."

She picked her way toward the spring, and after a few moments Sesshoumaru heard a small splash and a soft delighted sound. He smiled to himself and began a watchful circuit around the spring.

VvVvVvVvV

The water was… wonderful. Sesshoumaru was always good about finding some water for Vanessa to wash up in, but nothing could compare to a nice hot bath. She did say she wouldn't take long, but it just felt so nice.

Finally, reluctantly, Vanessa dragged herself out of the water and dressed. She was still drying her hair when she left the spring in search of Sesshoumaru and the way back to camp. He stepped out of the darkness to meet her before she got too turned around and lost her way.

"Hi. So… should I wait here? Or…"

"No. Come with me."

"Come… with you?"

He turned with a smirk. "Not all the way. Kaminari and Shizu are in camp, and I will be in the spring. I don't want you alone in the middle."

"Oh."

Vanessa followed until he turned again and with a look asked her to stop and wait. She turned around and sat down, trying not to blush as the sounds of Sesshoumaru undressing and stepping into the water reached her. This wasn't like taking a bath in the same building. Here there was nothing but their own honor separating them.

Sesshoumaru didn't initiate any sort of conversation, so she left him in peace and simply waited in the quiet night for him to finish, hoping against hope that this whole idea wouldn't be too awkward. She was just starting to nod off when he spoke behind her.

"You may turn around now," he said, and she did, wondering what state of dress she should expect. Thankfully, he was fully clothed – even if his shirt hung loose and his pants threatened to fall down over his hips if he weren't holding them up.

Under his soft-spoken instruction, Vanessa tied every knot and stepped back to admire her handiwork. Sesshoumaru tested a few ties and then nodded his approval.

"Your armor…"

"Tomorrow. It is not especially comfortable to sleep in."

"Yeah, I wouldn't think it would be."

Silence stretched between them, but neither made any move to return to camp.

"So… I saw you talking to Kaminari this afternoon."

He cocked his head curiously, but watched her warily just the same. "And?"

"I'm glad."

Sesshoumaru looked at her like she'd lost her mind and frowned. "Why?"

"I don't know. I guess I figured since I miss our talks, I thought maybe there was a chance you did too? You've been so quiet lately, I'm glad you've got someone to talk to. I think I would go crazy if I didn't have Shizu to talk to during the day, but… it isn't the same as talking to you. I miss those nights when we'd just sit on the balcony and talk after Rin went to bed."

She felt the heat rising to her cheeks. They had always just… talked. She never told him before how much those nights meant.

"There will be time enough for that. Spend what time you have with Shizu before you send her back. Does she know that you intend to do so?"

"I think so. It hasn't really come up, though."

"Wait a while," he said and looked out into the night. "Knowing that your days together are fewer than she might have originally expected may taint the time remaining for both of you."

Vanessa gaped at him. Is that what this was all about? Is that how he really felt about her leaving? Had he felt this way all along? She couldn't help herself, and before she knew what she was doing she stepped forward and slid her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his strong chest.

"What are you doing?" he breathed.

"Thanking you."

"What for?"

"For trusting me. For coming with me. Everything."

"There is no need," he said softly.

"Maybe not, but I would feel awful if I never told you."

"Then…" slowly he returned the embrace, "You are welcome."

She could count on one hand the number of times he'd ever just held her – and would have fingers to spare, but she felt so secure in his embrace. For that moment in time he shielded her from everything life could throw at her. She could almost forget what awaited her at the end of this journey. She could almost forget everything she'd been through, everything _they_ had been through in just the past few months.

"Sesshoumaru," Vanessa whispered and felt his muscles tense under her arms.

"Yes?" he said softly over her ear, almost as though he were afraid he would scare her away if he spoke too loudly.

She pulled back just enough to look into his face. His expression was one of mild concern, but buried beneath that was… sadness. He hadn't dropped all of his barriers by any means, but his face wasn't a stony mask either.

Suddenly Vanessa felt utterly overwhelmed and buried her face in his chest, trying to fight back the tears burning her eyes.

"Vanessa? Vanessa, what is it?"

She clutched the fine silk of his kimono and tried to bring herself under control while he stroked her hair, obviously at a loss as to what to do with her sudden tears.

"I… I don't want what time we have left to be tainted," she said finally, and to her astonishment, Sesshoumaru chuckled softly.

"You needn't worry," he said holding her and resting his cheek on her head.

They stood there just like that until Vanessa finally stepped back and wiped her cheeks. "We should probably get back," she said. Sesshoumaru nodded silently and looked at her thoughtfully.

"What?"

"Would you like to do one more thing for me?"

"Okay… what?"

He reached into his empty sleeve and withdrew the gold and ivory comb, waving it once at her before turning back to camp. Vanessa grinned and hurried after his ghostly pale form, following him easily under the now-risen moon back to their winged friends.

Things might just be getting back to normal.

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru couldn't remember the one other time that Vanessa had combed his hair, but… he found he rather liked it. It was intimate in a way, how she gently toweled his hair dry and then went to work on the tangles. He wasn't entirely sure how comfortable he would be in any other setting, but here, without a town or even a village in sight, what did he have to lose?

She seemed happy that he offered, and actually it was quite soothing, her fingers sliding through his hair. He had to watch himself or he just might fall asleep. His mind wandered to what had transpired less than an hour ago. It was surprising, yet pleasant, having her arms around him. She needed him and, more shocking than her boldness in making that move, was that he _wanted_ to be needed – by her.

And that was a dangerous feeling to have. He couldn't fall for her, but what surprised him was that it had nothing to do with her humanity. If it were even possible, that fact alone made it hurt all the more to know that she was leaving. It couldn't last. Their time remaining could be counted in weeks, months if they were fortunate – or unfortunate, depending on how one looked at it.

He was pulled rather forcefully from this revelation by a hand on each of his shoulders, and he felt Vanessa's weight shift behind him before she leaned to peer over his left shoulder.

"All finished," she said cheerily and came around to sit in front of him with her hands clasped in her lap. "You kind of zoned out there for a while. Something on your mind?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "The future."

"Oh."

He shouldn't have said anything. Thinking of the future now, meant thinking of her leaving. But she didn't say anything about that. Instead she suggested that they get some sleep.

"It's got to be late, and we all know I'm not a morning person. If we want to see the wall at all tomorrow, we should probably get an early start."

"So we shall. Sleep well, Vanessa."

She curled up under her cloak next to the fire, but sleep was long in coming for Sesshoumaru. He watched her silently as she slept and listened to the sounds of the night. Even this far from home, the power of his presence was strong enough to be recognized and to ward off the lesser creatures that might have otherwise come to find a meal.

He tried to sleep, but only managed a few hours before the rising sun woke him. Used to the travel routine by now, the others quickly followed suit, and before long they were riding at a comfortably brisk pace toward the south.

That humans could have built such a structure intrigued him and he was interested to see some glimpse of what Vanessa's world must look like. A world where humans reigned hardly seemed possible. Then again, that world was apparently very large, and he had only ever seen a small portion. Perhaps youkai only existed on his island nation. This trip would show him what he could only guess at the moment.

Sesshoumaru kept his eyes on the top of the wall and let Kaminari watch their surroundings. When they were close enough that he could clearly see the patrol, he called a halt and watched. He was looking for a section where they could explore without being discovered.

There were few people on the wall itself, but there were watchtowers spaced along its length. He turned them westward and rode parallel to the wall for a while. As they continued, Sesshoumaru noted that the wall actually appeared to be a series of fortifications that joined together over time, and the farther they went, the more he could see the difference, whether it be age or building style.

Finally they approached the wall. This portion had no guards that he could see and it wasn't built entirely of stone. The renovation apparently hadn't reached this far, probably because access to this area was already limited and there were more important areas to strengthen security. Upon closer inspection, he found it to be a combination of packed earth, wood and brick. Still, it was impressive.

Sesshoumaru dismounted and walked along the base while Vanessa waited with Kaminari and Shizu, absently scratching under their chins. He cast a questioning glance back at Kaminari who only snorted and refused further comment, but closed his eyes and enjoyed the human's attentions.

When poking around the base of the wall failed to satisfy his curiosity, he decided to take a look at the top. He judged it to be four or five times his height so he simply… jumped. Vanessa's soft gasp below him didn't escape his notice, but for the moment he was too caught up in the sight of the wall slithering like a pale snake as far as he could see in either direction. For a human structure made of hundreds of mismatched segments… it was magnificent. And he wanted Vanessa to see it.

He heard her laugh below him and say something about leaping tall buildings.

"What is a super man?" he asked after landing soundlessly behind her, causing her to squeak and whirl to face him.

"Don't do that! You startled me."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and waited for an answer to his question.

"I was just talking about a character in a story, and one of his defining characteristics is that he can 'leap tall buildings in a single bound.' The way you jumped like that made me think of it. That's all."

"I see." He supposed if he knew more about this story it would make sense, but he really didn't care that much. "Would you like to take a look?" he asked instead and held his hand out to Vanessa.

She looked up once then nodded and took the offered hand. "I'd love to."

As Vanessa wrapped her arms around his waist, he slipped his arm around her and leapt to the top of the wall, just as he had done before, but this time he heard her breath catch in her throat, heard her heart hammering within her breast, and felt her hold on him tighten reflexively.

"I think my stomach just fell into my toes," she said when they touched down softly on the broad walkway.

"You have flown with me before," Sesshoumaru stated. He hadn't meant to frighten her, but he couldn't deny enjoying the feel of her holding tightly to him.

"That was different. One moment we were on the ground and the next we're up here. It was… thrilling!"

She _enjoyed_ being frightened that way? What an odd creature.

"Wow…" she breathed and stepped away from toward the battlements. "I mean… we've been flying all week, but here it's like… we're still on the ground, but at the same time we're not, and… I'm not making any sense."

She laughed and Sesshoumaru leaned against the wall next to her.

"Thank you. I don't think I'd have ever come to see this otherwise. It's okay that I'm enjoying this journey, right?"

"Of course." He didn't think he could tolerate her being miserable the entire way. If she was concerned about leaving him with good memories, then he was happy to do the same for her.

Suddenly a shout rang out behind them. Sesshoumaru whirled, pushing Vanessa behind him and reaching for his sword, but paused when he heard still more footsteps coming from the other direction. He could easily eliminate all of them, but they were only doing their duty in protecting their land, and _he_ was trespassing. It would also put Vanessa in danger.

"Get on my back," he whispered urgently over his shoulder. He wanted his sword hand free – just in case.

"What –?"

Impatiently he swept his hair over one shoulder and lowered into a crouch. "I cannot hold you. Climb on. Now!"

Finally Vanessa silently clambered onto his back, but by now the guards had formed a loose semi-circle with spears and arrows trained on them. They cast wary, questioning glances at them and to each other, clearly wondering how these two managed to scale the wall without notice.

Sesshoumaru barely gave Vanessa enough time to secure her hold on his hips and around his neck before he stood and further assessed the situation. The arrows were what concerned him most. He could easily leap out of range of the swords and spears, but the arrows…

He could rush the guards and go directly to his companions on the other side of the wall, but he would be putting his back to those arrows, if only for a moment, and that was precisely where Vanessa was at the moment. Or he could simply go straight up, but until he reached the limit of the archers, they would be completely unprotected from below.

Instead, he slowly backed toward the battlements, the guards following each of his steps backward with a step forward of their own. One of them said something, but it may as well have been gibberish for all that he understood him.

"Are you ready?"

"No –"

"Hold tightly to me."

"But –"

In one movement, Sesshoumaru drew his sword and leapt backward off the wall. Vanessa screamed and tightened her hold, but he hardly noticed. The moment they went over the side, the guards quickly recovered from their surprise at this clearly suicidal move and began to rain arrows down on them. Some threw their spears, but most drew arrow after arrow.

Sesshoumaru spun the blade, intercepting and knocking the arrows away to twirl harmlessly into the trees around him. The ground rushed up to meet them, but he touched down in the upper branches of a tree for an instant before lightly springing away, always keeping himself between Vanessa and the arrows. But somehow during a split second pause, fire erupted in his right shoulder and spread down to his very fingertips, causing him to misstep. Vanessa cried out once more, but Sesshoumaru quickly regained his balance and his momentum. Angry at the breach in his defenses, he snarled and snapped the arrow shaft before resuming his deflection of more arrows.

Every swing thereafter only fed that flame so Sesshoumaru sped away, leaping from tree to tree until finally daring to scale the wall once more. He blew past one startled guard on patrol, but further cries of alarm were lost behind him as he doubled back to where they left Shizu and Kaminari.

Sesshoumaru sheathed his sword before the arrow in his shoulder made it feel too heavy to carry, and it was only then that he realized he had drawn not Tokijin, but Tenseiga. He didn't have the time then to think of why could have possibly caused him to select that particular blade, as he was quickly coming upon the winged horses. They were agitatedly looking for a break in the tree-cover away from the arrows where they could take to the air and meet the challenge when they saw him coming at them fast.

"_Sesshoumaru-sama! We heard a commotion – you're wounded!"_

"Move. Now. Follow me."

He didn't wait for them to obey, but the sound of galloping hooves behind him was almost immediate, and when the ground cleared enough for them to spread their wings, the four of them took to the sky once more to seek a safe place to catch their breath.

Vanessa trembled against his back and her breathing came in harsh, ragged gasps. She was terrified. It was foolish to think that those watchtowers would be left unattended for long, and he had endangered Vanessa. Again. He placed his hand on her arm wrapped securely around his neck, and astonishingly her breathing began to slow to normal. She still trembled, and he could feel that her face was pressed against his left shoulder, but she no longer seemed consumed by her fear.

They flew north and west until Sesshoumaru spotted a craggy cliff face rising high above a river. The waters of long ago had etched a wide alcove into the rock, and it appeared to be large enough to house two large winged horses in addition to the two-legged travelers.

He landed cautiously and kept his hand on Vanessa's arm, silently telling her not to move, but it seemed that as far as she was concerned, for the moment she was simply an extension of his own body. He scanned the dark corners and listened for any sign of inhabitants, all the while testing the air and reaching out with his senses to detect any sort of youki. It was empty, and there appeared to be no hidden openings to chambers leading deeper into the cliff.

Once more he crouched, this time for her to get off, but Vanessa made no move to let go of him, so he gently pried her legs from around his middle and laid his hand on her clasped hands. His shoulder seared with every movement, but he could see to that later.

"You are safe now," he murmured, and slowly she released her hold on him. Freed from her grasp, Sesshoumaru let his pelt fall to the floor and went to the ledge to tell the circling horses that they would stay there for the night. It was barely past midday, but there was no hurry.

"Vanessa, are you injured?" he asked and dropped to one knee in front of her. He didn't see anything; she seemed more stunned than physically hurt.

"No… I don't think so – but you are!"

She lurched to her knees and reached out to him, but he waved her away. "This is nothing," But as he reached for the shaft once more, muscles contracted and scraped angrily across the embedded arrowhead. He sucked in a breath and forced his muscles to relax. A functional second hand would have been really useful right about then. He may heal quickly, but that didn't mean he was immune to pain, and having a bit of sharpened steel embedded in one's flesh was far from a painless experience.

"Let me," Vanessa said and winced as he dropped his hand and she took a closer look. "Lie down."

Sesshoumaru grudgingly obeyed, and braced himself as she reached for the shaft, but her hand stopped just short of its goal.

"Wait…" She stood and went to Shizu, who was looking on wide-eyed with her father, and took a small pail from the packs and untied her backpack. "Shizu, would you get some water from the river for me?"

"_Of course."_ The horse turned and leapt off the ledge to glide across the river to the bank below.

"I want to clean that right away," Vanessa explained and began rummaging around in her bag.

"Take your time," he responded dryly. If he lay very still, the shooting pain quieted to a dull throbbing. Focusing his thoughts away from that pain helped, too. He thought of Vanessa. She _was_ right there, and she _was_ pleasant to think of…

"Ready?" Well… that ruined any pleasant thoughts.

"Do it."

Vanessa leaned over and peered at his shoulder, and the whole time he watched her face. She winced as she plucked at the bloody cloth as though it hurt her as well, and while it was touching, he wished she would hurry and pull the arrow out.

"I'm going to have to cut your clothes."

"Do what you need to."

She sliced through the silk and his linen undergarments, and gently peeled the fabric away from the wound. "Okay… this is going to hurt."

"I have sustained worse injuries and survived," he bit out. "Remove it."

Sesshoumaru winced as she grabbed hold of the shaft with one hand and held his shoulder with the other and he swallowed a shout of pain as the arrowhead came free with a squelching sound. He gritted his teeth and for an instant he saw red, but as Vanessa pressed a wad of cloth to the wound and the pain slowly began to recede to a constant throbbing, he looked up into her face. She seemed on the verge of tears, but stoutly refused to let them fall; she had a job to do.

"I hope this water is clean," she said, looking uncertainly at the pail. "I should have boiled it first."

"Bring it here," Sesshoumaru told her and took a deep breath before lifting his hand to dip his fingertips in the water. Then he let his poison flow. "That will kill any infection," he explained. "Wash the pail in the river before you use it for yourself."

"Will it be a problem? If I pour this in the river, it won't kill everything downstream?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "The river will dilute it and render it harmless."

As he finished speaking, Vanessa began to gently remove the clothing from his torso, leaving him in nothing but his hakama.

"Now is hardly the time," he said with a smirk despite the pain in his shoulder.

Vanessa only gave him a withering look and dipped another cloth into the water. "I want to see if I can salvage your clothes and I don't want them ruined any more than they are," she said and squeezed the water over the wound, flushing it out. Sesshoumaru hissed through his teeth. That stung!

"Sorry," Vanessa said softly, and continued to squeeze water over his wound until she was satisfied that it was as clean as it could be.

"There is no need – for you to be sorry or for you to trouble yourself over my clothing."

"You can't exactly buy new clothes in the middle of nowhere."

"I will not need to. I admit, the linen will need to be repaired, but the silk comes from a youkai worm. The fibers want to be whole and they will weave themselves back together until they are. If it is left to soak for a time, you might also notice that the bloodstain will remove itself."

Vanessa stared at him. "Really?"

"I was wearing it the day I lost my arm. You are a healer. You should know how much blood is lost when a limb is severed. I was also wearing it when one of Inuyasha's attacks destroyed my armor. Do you really think ordinary silk would survive where steel and bone did not?"

He looked up at her curiously and she eyed the pile of silk beside her. "I didn't know…" Then she turned her focus to the wound she had cleaned. "It's closing… I don't think I'll need to stitch it, but hold still just a minute longer while I bandage you up."

"That will not be necessary."

Her eyes flashed defiantly. "Humor me. At the very least the bandage will keep it clean until it's healed."

"Do what you like." He would be healed by morning with only a bit of soreness and a nearly invisible scar to prove he had ever been wounded, but if it made her feel better, he would allow her to bandage him.

When she finished Sesshoumaru sat up and winced as his torn muscles protested the movement. He looked up to find two pairs of blue eyes trained on him. "You two have been awfully quiet," he commented.

"_We didn't want to interrupt."_

"_You'll be okay, Sesshoumaru-sama, won't you?"_

"Of course."

Vanessa looked at the pail and unconsciously rubbed her hands. "I should probably wash up. Shizu, would you help me?"

Sesshoumaru stood back as Vanessa quickly unloaded the winged horses, grabbed the silk haori from the floor of the alcove and swung up onto Shizu's back. "I'll take care of this. Just let it soak, right?"

He nodded and stepped toward the ledge, silently surveying the area and watching for danger as Shizu dove off.

"_Truly an intriguing human," _Kaminari said as he too watched over his daughter and her human friend.

VvVvVvVvV

"Some day," Vanessa commented as she sat down beside Sesshoumaru on the ledge of their home for the night.

"Indeed."

She watched him from the corner of her eye. His gaze ceaselessly scanned the land below on the other side of the river where Shizu and Kaminari grazed. He was always watching, even when he seemed to be relaxed he was alert. It seemed nothing escaped him. Maybe she'd have to work on that. She smiled to herself and suddenly felt his eyes on her.

"What?"

"You are smiling."

"So?"

"Hm."

It had to be asked: "Why don't you show anyone what you're feeling?"

His eyes stopped searching and fixed on a place far in the distance, but he said nothing.

"I guess it's part of what makes you who you are, but don't you think some things might be easier if people could understand you a little better? Everything about you, why you do what you do is a mystery and sometimes… Sometimes it makes you seem unapproachable."

Slowly he turned his head to face her, his expression unreadable. Whether he meant to or not, he only proved her point. "Is that how you see me? Unapproachable?"

Vanessa met his gaze and smiled softly as she shook her head. "Not as much anymore, but sometimes it seems like you're off somewhere no one else can go, somewhere you don't want anyone else to be."

Sesshoumaru turned back to the landscape.

"You're there now."

"The less my enemies know of me, the less they can use against me," he stated simply without facing her.

"You don't have any enemies here. It's just me."

He glanced at her briefly. "But I guess old habits die hard," Vanessa said gently. She didn't blame him for not opening up to her more, but it did hurt a little.

"Youkai have long memories," he said.

"And humans have short lives." Sesshoumaru winced and finally turned to face her.

"Is that how you find it to be so easy to forgive?"

"Easy? Hardly. Sometimes forgiveness is the most difficult thing in the world, but we have a saying: 'forgive and forget.' I think when you really care about someone you don't want the past to always be hanging over you. What's done is done. You can't go back and change it so you just have to let it go."

Sesshoumaru cocked his head curiously. "You have said that before, that I need to let go."

"Then I guess I really mean it. For humans, life is too short to be constantly living in the past." She wrinkled her nose and leaned over to him. "I suppose I'm kind of an exception though, huh."

"That you are," he said softly. His eyes positively sparkled and Vanessa wondered if he meant more than simple agreement.

"How's your shoulder?" she asked, changing the subject and focusing on his bandage. His clothes were still drying by the river and he hadn't pulled new ones from his pack yet.

Sesshoumaru followed her gaze. "Fine."

"I can't believe how quickly you heal." She'd seen with her own eyes the edges of his wound knitting together, but it was still so far beyond imagining.

"I will find something for your dinner," Sesshoumaru said and began to rise.

"You will do no such thing!"

He froze and stared at her in surprise.

"You're hurt, remember?"

Sesshoumaru rotated his shoulder and there was no evidence of pain in his expression at all, but with him that didn't exactly mean anything.

"This hardly bears mentioning," he scoffed.

"I don't care if you mention it or not. I don't want you doing anything to tear it open again."

"Nothing will happen."

"Shizu can take me down to get some firewood and water and we can cook up some of the food we brought along."

"That will not be necessary."

"Sesshoumaru."

He sighed half-exasperatedly and sat down again. "You have no reason to be concerned."

"Maybe not, but I would feel better if you took a little more time to let yourself heal."

"If you insist."

"Thank you."

"Will you at least allow me to retrieve my clothing?" he asked with raised eyebrow.

"I think I can do that."

Sesshoumaru leapt off the ledge and glided down to the riverbank where his clothes were hung to dry. While he was below, Vanessa pulled a clean juban out of his pack for him so he didn't have to wear the torn one. She'd see how good she was at patching later.

He held still while she fastened the ties, and then they sat together again in silence for a while, just watching the scenery.

"It is difficult," Sesshoumaru said suddenly, "Letting go of the past."

"No one ever said it would be easy," Vanessa said gently.

From the corner of her eye she could see his hand clench into a fist. "I lost… _everyone_ that I held dear because someone I trusted used those feelings against me. I told myself then that it would never happen again."

_Atsuko…_ He had told her that they were betrothed and that she had somehow betrayed him. _She must be the one he's talking about._

"But doesn't it get lonely shutting everyone out like that?"

He didn't seem to have an answer that he wanted to share for that.

"Not everyone is like her, Sesshoumaru," Vanessa said softly. "Someday you'll have to take a chance and let someone in."

Sesshoumaru turned slowly and looked at her. "I know."

Vanessa looked back at him, watched him watching her. He _did_ talk to her. He _did_ share things with her… in his own way. Something meaningful just passed between them, something special that couldn't be taken back. "Sesshoumaru…"

Anything else she might have said stopped in her throat when a gust of wind and the sound of hooves to Sesshoumaru's right entered the alcove. She quickly looked down at her hands and Sesshoumaru turned back to watching the horizon.

"_We're back,"_ Shizu announced cheerfully, oblivious to the interruption.

Vanessa stood and went to her. "Hi there, pretty girl. I know you were just down there, but do you think you could take me down for a minute to get some water and firewood?"

"_Absolutely."_

She grabbed a sack and gave Shizu the pail before hauling herself onto her bare back. They dove over the side and Vanessa's breath caught in her throat, even as Shizu's wings caught the air and they spiraled lazily downward. Had it only been this morning that she and Sesshoumaru had made their mad dash through the treetops? She tried not to think about it, but the entire experience terrified her.

The way those arrows were falling, Sesshoumaru was lucky to have only been hit by one, and the way he did everything he could to shield her… Then it dawned on her: he didn't kill any of them. He didn't even fight back. He could have taken them all out and not thought twice about it, so why didn't he?

For that matter, why did he do anything that he did?

Vanessa sighed and looked toward the setting sun. Was it that late already?

"Shizu, you and your dad were down here practically all day," she observed when they landed.

"_It's nice here,"_ Shizu replied as she dipped the pail in the river. _"Besides. You and Sesshoumaru-sama were talking. We wanted to give you some time."_

"Oh… well, thank you."

"_Did you have a nice talk with him?"_

Vanessa glanced up to see Sesshoumaru and Kaminari watching over them. She smiled and waved. "It was… interesting, but good."

"_Good."_

She splashed some water on her face and gathered a couple armloads of dry wood before returning with Shizu to the males.

Dinner was small and rather quiet, and it wasn't long before Shizu and Kaminari retired to a corner to stand with their heads lowered and wings drooping rather than try to find comfort on the hard stone without a soft layer of straw or grass beneath them. Vanessa draped a blanket over each of them and sat by Sesshoumaru near the fire.

"You didn't hurt them," she said, wrapping her arms around her knees.

"Who?"

"The soldiers on the wall."

He frowned in puzzlement. "Did you want me to? We can go back…"

"No!" she countered hastily. "No… I just wondered why. It would have been easy for you."

"Would it have been easy for you?"

"What do you mean…?"

He took a breath and looked into the fire. "You were there, and you were frightened. Would killing the humans have lessened that?"

"So you spared them for me?"

"If you choose to think of it that way, then yes. I spared them to spare you. You should get some sleep. We will leave early to make up time we lost today."

"Alright."

Rather than push her luck with the personal talk for one day, she smiled at him and went to find some semi-comfortable place to lay out her bedroll on the stone floor.

"Good night, Sesshoumaru."

He glanced up from the fire and nodded. "Sleep well, Vanessa."

Something woke her in the middle of the night. She wasn't sure what it was… It wasn't sudden… but something felt off. She lifted her head and stared. It was Sesshoumaru. He stood at the entrance, bathed in moonlight so that he seemed to glow. His hand rested on what remained of his left arm and he peered out into the distance.

Vanessa rose up onto her knees and Sesshoumaru let his hand drop to his side as he glanced over his shoulder. She hadn't meant to disturb him, but he probably knew she woke up before she even moved.

"You should be asleep," he said quietly.

"I was. Something woke me up." She got to her feet and went to his side, rubbing her arms for warmth against the chill night air.

They watched the night in silence for a few minutes and then she turned to him. "Does it still hurt?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru looked from his shoulder to Vanessa. "I told you before, I heal quickly. The pain left hours –"

"Not that," she interrupted. "This."

Vanessa laid her hand gently on his ruined limb and looked up into his eyes. He didn't flinch away from her touch, but he didn't answer right away either.

Finally his eyes dropped to her hand and he frowned before looking at her again. "There is no longer pain…" he said slowly, and brought his own hand up to his arm, never taking his eyes from Vanessa's – even when their hands brushed together. "Sometimes it aches where there it should not, and sometimes I feel as though I should be able to take hold of something, but…"

"Must have been hard."

"I have learned to live with it."

She turned her eyes down to the heavy silk under her fingers for a moment before meeting his eye again. "May I see?"

He pulled back slightly in surprise and he studied her. It felt like he was searching her soul, but finally he nodded.

Sesshoumaru let her pull his collar down over his shoulder, exposing half of his chest and ribs. The silk fell away with a whisper, revealing the aftermath of his first encounter with Tessaiga in the hands of his half-brother. He smirked down at her.

"I believe this is the second time today that you have undressed me."

"Hush.

Vanessa gently ran her fingers over the scar tissue. "It's healed well," she commented.

"You expected otherwise?"

"Well… No, I guess not. It must be nice to be able to heal so quickly. I suppose it makes you less dependent on healers."

"My healers would have preferred that I had returned home right away after this happened, but I stayed away."

"Why?" she asked as she pulled his clothing back to its proper place. "What if something went wrong?"

"Nothing did. And my pride had already been dealt a rather heavy blow. I did not wish to share that with my House."

"You and your pride," she smiled and began fastening the ties again.

Vanessa linked her arm with his good one and watched the moon for a while longer before returning to her bedroll. It wasn't much longer before she heard Sesshoumaru settle himself for what was left of the night.

**A/N:** There. I told myself I'd get this thing done before the end of the weekend and… I did. Yay!

And… I know I also said that I was going to be updating the early chapters – and I am – but I've made a couple minor changes that are relevant to some of the later early chapters so I'm going to lump that re-post together. I'm hoping for next weekend for that set.

**For my lovely reviewers (who don't have handy 'reply' options – and if I missed some of you who do… I'm sorry!):**

**R-Cleberg:** How's that for a little opening up? I have a feeling that Shizu and Kaminari are going to be doing some conspiring to bring them together. They've already started a bit. People can be so stubborn.

**Hand-Clap**: I do have a couple other stories, but… none of them are posted online yet. Maybe someday, but for now… it's just _Into the East._ Thanks for reading!

**Icefox: **I'm hoping updates will be a little more regular now. I got stumped for a bit there. Thanks!

**Poldod: **Updated! Hope you enjoy!


	23. Insert Witty Title

A/N: Well… last chapter (22) didn't exactly get the response I had hoped for… as in it got no response at all

A/N: Ugh…

Into the East

Chapter twenty-three: Insert Witty Title

Posted: 23 April 2008

Characters originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

"Shizu? What are you doing?"

Sesshoumaru tore his gaze from the endless horizon at Vanessa's surprised squeak.

"_I'm flying,"_ Shizu broadcasted for the rest of them to 'hear.' Normally whatever she and her human said together was kept private, save for what he could hear of Vanessa's voice on the wind. So why the deviation from routine now?

"Well, I can see that… Why are you going higher?"

"_You'll see."_

His eyes followed them as Shizu strained to gain altitude and a small frown tugged at the corners of his mouth. What _was_ she doing? The mare had certainly gained considerable strength since they started out, but that was no reason to overexert herself now.

When they were well above Sesshoumaru and Kaminari, Shizu leveled off again. Was that it? She was merely flying higher? _Females…_ he thought to himself with no small amount of bafflement. He turned his gaze back to the horizon, searching for signs of population and watching for a suitable place to take their noonday break.

"_Hold on,"_ he heard Shizu say, but paid little heed. The air currents might be different up there, but in all the time they had flying, Shizu had always been careful with her.

"You're not… Shizu, I don't…" Her sudden shriek and the dark form that was suddenly plummeting toward the earth was all it took to send Sesshoumaru off like a shot.

He had almost snatched Vanessa from her saddle when Shizu spread her wings and swept back up into the sky, higher and higher until she was level with her father and climbing higher once more, leaving him to hover and wait for the odd pounding in his chest to quiet.

_What was she _thinking? He seethed silently, but as he climbed back up into the sky toward Kaminari, Vanessa's breathless laughter caught him off guard.

"Shizu, that was amazing!" she exclaimed.

Shizu's eyes were bright with her own excitement. _"Don't get me wrong, I love traveling with you, but this landscape… It's getting so _boring_."_

He heard Kaminari chuckle in his head.

"_Don't be upset, my lord," _Kaminari said as Sesshoumaru dropped once more onto his back. _"My daughter wouldn't do anything that would bring harm to Vanessa."_

But his assurances did little to calm to anger and, yes, fear that had taken hold of him. What if Shizu hadn't been able to bring them out of that dive? She may have performed such acrobatics on her own all the time for all he knew, but with the added weight of a rider… He tensed as Shizu folded her wings once more, ready to tear after them if he had to, but just as before she pulled up at just the right moment.

Vanessa glanced at him on their way back up and cocked her head in puzzlement. She met his eye briefly and then leaned over Shizu's neck to whisper something in her ear. After that they flew level with Kaminari. At least Vanessa knew when to stop pushing his limits.

Sesshoumaru's anger had faded by the time they landed for the night, but somehow he needed to impress upon her how worried she had made him – without actually coming out and saying he was worried of course.

Shizu gave him a wide berth that evening and seemed to make every effort to avoid his notice, but Vanessa came to him as he prepared their meal.

"Hey," she said.

Sesshoumaru glanced up at her.

"Look, about earlier –"

"That was a foolish thing to do," he broke in as he stood to face her. It wasn't quite how he'd wanted to say it, but now it was out there.

She looked taken aback by the sharpness in his tone, but then she scowled right back at him.

"Nothing bad happened."

"Tomorrow you will ride with Kaminari."

Cold fury smoldered in her eyes. "Excuse me?

Well. That was unexpected. He'd never actually ordered her to do anything before, but she always seemed to do what he said… _No_ _one_ disobeyed when he gave an order.

"No, Sesshoumaru – it's not that I have anything against you, Kaminari," she began, turning briefly toward the elder horse, but he only lifted his wings in a shrug and ambled off in Shizu's direction. Sesshoumaru could have sworn he saw a twinkle in his blue eye, but now wasn't the time. Vanessa rounded on him again. "No. I'm staying with Shizu."

She folded her arms under her chest and stared at him just as he stared back at her. It was ridiculous. "I don't think that is wise."

"Why not?"

"Vanessa, she could barely lift you and the bags into the sky. She should not be trying such acrobatics."

"She's gotten stronger! Even you have said so."

"But to take such risks with you… She is too young to have such a responsibility."

"Too young? If that's what you think, then why did you let her come in the first place? I know she wouldn't do anything to put me in danger. You can't send her back on her own."

"There is no reason to. She can still be of use. You will ride Kaminari, and Shizu will continue to carry the packs that she has carried until now."

"That's not fair. It would tear her apart to take that away from her!"

"Then perhaps it is time we said good-bye to both of them. We can carry the necessities ourselves." The moment the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to take them back. The look on her face… "Vanessa, I…" he took a small step toward her with his hand half raised, but she just stood there, staring at him in shock. The stabbing pain, the fear that traveled through their bond to him, even in its diluted state was heart wrenching.

"Not yet," she whispered and rushed up to him, pleading. "Please, it's too soon. They can't go yet. A little longer, Sesshoumaru, please? I'll make sure we don't do anything stupid, just… let her stay."

How had their disagreement turned to this? He couldn't stand to see her look so… upset. "O-Of course. A little longer."

"Thank you, thank you Sesshoumaru!" she cried and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear. "And… I'm sorry. I know you're only looking out for me."

"I promised to keep you safe," he said softly. She pulled back and cupped his face in her hands, looking into his eyes. With a small smile she turned away and jogged over to Shizu standing a fair distance away.

She left his heart pounding in his chest with just that small touch. He could still feel her fingers on his face. _No,_ he told himself. _You can't…_ He looked up at the pair of females. Vanessa was petting Shizu's neck, and Shizu herself looked absolutely miserable. She wouldn't look anywhere near his direction. Sesshoumaru sighed; he'd have to speak with her.

"_You are rather attached, aren't you, Sesshoumaru-sama?"_ Kaminari said in his mind. Sesshoumaru growled.

"You don't know what you are talking about," he muttered and set his attention to salvaging their dinner.

Before too long Vanessa came back and sat beside him to take her meal. She'd smile at him every now and then, and as he tried searching along their bond for her feelings, he found nothing out of the ordinary. Everything seemed to have returned to normal. He reminded himself that he ought to talk to Shizu… Well, he wasn't very hungry anyway.

Sesshoumaru excused himself and stood. He could hear hooves approaching and meant to intercept them.

"Shizu," he said quietly so he didn't startle her, but even so she drew up short and didn't come any closer. Kaminari kept moving, seeming to know that he had no business there.

"_Sesshoumaru-sama, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have –"_

He held up a hand for silence and she obeyed immediately. "I… may have overreacted," he allowed and with a hand on her neck guided her a little deeper into the darkness for privacy. "You see I made a vow to myself that Vanessa would arrive home safely, and by my presence here I hope you can see that I take it very seriously."

"_I do, Sesshoumaru-sama, and I wouldn't do anything I knew would harm her."_

"I know. You have grown remarkably in strength since we left home," he told her and was amused to note that her ears pricked forward and her neck arched with pride at his praise. "Have fun, enjoy each other's presence while you can. I only ask that you not take any unnecessary risks."

Shizu nodded vigorously. _"Of course."_

"Good. Come then." They walked back to the others in companionable silence and noticed there was a spring in her step again. She responded well to praise and gentleness. A hard hand on her would only cause her to draw in on herself, whereas trying to exert his will on Vanessa only seemed to raise her resistance. He shook his head as entered the camp. _Females…_ He didn't think he would ever learn how to handle them, but… he was trying.

Shizu trotted over to her father to settle for the night, while Sesshoumaru resumed his seat beside Vanessa. She watched him with a small smile.

He raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

Her smile widened. "Nothing, just… thank you," she finished softly. "I'm going to bed. Good night, Sesshoumaru."

"Sleep well."

Eventually, he was the only one awake in their little camp, and it didn't seem he would be getting to sleep any time soon. There was too much on his mind. But… he needed rest. He had learned long ago how to do without sleep so he tried to release the tension in his limbs and closed his eyes, reaching out with his other senses instead, and tried to chase away errant thoughts, he focused only on his breathing. In… Out… In… Out…

He heard the breathing of the others, and beneath that, their heartbeats. For a moment his own pulse thudded in his ears, but he tuned it out. There. The scratch of a mouse in the grass. And over there. The sniff of a larger animal, perhaps a predator, but Sesshoumaru was the larger menace, and this one seemed to know it and veered off in another direction. They all had so far. He reached out with his less tangible senses and found no evidence of youkai at all. It was strange not to be surrounded by that familiar sense of the others of his kind. Maybe they just hadn't come across any of their villages yet.

Sesshoumaru let his mind wander while his ears and nose kept watch. He thought back to Rin in Inuyasha's village, Saburo and Rai… How was everyone faring in his absence? He didn't want to come back only to have to crush a rebellion or rebuild his realm. Humans were an ever-growing problem, but that wouldn't change too drastically in the coming months… he hoped.

He could feel a change in the wind and thought they might be moving toward less arid climates. There was also that chill in the air that suggested that full winter wasn't far off. They had some time before he had to worry about that.

What was that?

A sound that didn't quite fit. All thoughts of anything but his immediate surroundings retreated to the far corners of his mind as he focused on that sound. The scuff of sand… a shoe? What more would this day throw at him?

There shouldn't have been anyone out there. They were far from any of the small pockets of human inhabitants. He listened intently. There were two sets of footsteps: light, careful and controlled, and anyone with hearing less sensitive than his wouldn't have heard them. And they were coming closer, as though stalking him. Sesshoumaru growled low and opened his eyes. He would show them what it meant to stalk a taiyoukai; he would not be so easily hunted.

Sesshoumaru moved quickly to his companions

"Vanessa," he said softly, gently shaking her awake. "Wake up. Quickly."

"Hm?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Wake the others. I will return shortly."

She sat up abruptly. "Is something wrong?"

"I will soon find out."

He ignored the worried look on her face and left the camp in search of the pair creeping closer to them. Sesshoumaru practically glided across the sand, making not a sound as he sped toward the sound of creeping footsteps.

The moon was high and bright, and cast the landscape in sharp relief. Even so, he relied on his hears and nose. It didn't take long for him to find them, and what he saw surprised him into pulling up short.

_Children?_

Two horses were tethered a short distance away and their small riders crept slowly toward the camp. They hadn't noticed him yet so he watched. What were children doing out in the middle of nowhere? They hadn't passed any sort of village near enough to house these two. What did they want?

He followed them for a short while, stalking them as they tried to stalk him and his pack, but where they were nearly silent in the sand, Sesshoumaru _was_ silent.

When they drew too near for his comfort, he made his move. He wouldn't hurt them, but a small fright might show them what they were dealing with. Of course, two hands would have served his purpose better… but he had to make do with what he had. With a growl and one swift movement, Sesshoumaru took both children by the collars of their tunics and carried them whimpering back to camp.

Vanessa sprang to her feet when Sesshoumaru dropped the pair by the fire.

"Who are they?" she asked and knelt in front of them. They shrank away at first, but her soft expression and maternal gestures soon showed them that she meant them no harm. They huddled beside her and eyed Sesshoumaru warily. Now that the hunters had become the hunted, they weren't so confident.

"Where did you find them?" she asked again.

"They were out there," he answered, nodding toward the darkness. "They must have followed us."

"How? Where did they come from?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I don't know. Their horses are still where I found them."

"You just left them there? What if something happens to them? How will these two get home?"

Sesshoumaru scowled and held out his hand, palm up. "I couldn't very well hold all four of them, could I?"

"Oh. Right. Sorry," she said, blushing and looking properly chastened. "So what do we do with them?"

"They must go back to where they came from." He thought it was obvious.

The little hunters were a boy and girl, approximately Rin's age, perhaps a year or two older. They appeared to be siblings, if he was any judge, with the same dark, curly hair, tanned skin, and expressive brown eyes.

"What are you two doing out here all by yourself?" Vanessa asked, sitting back on her heels in front of them.

The pair looked at one another and spoke. Of course they would have to speak yet another strange tongue. Sesshoumaru was beginning to wonder how Vanessa's 'global' world functioned when no one spoke the same language.

They chattered at one another a while longer and then stood and looked around the camp. Apparently they had decided that he and Vanessa weren't going to hurt them, but they never moved from their spots.

Vanessa stood as well and went to Sesshoumaru's side.

"What are they looking for?" she asked him quietly.

"I don't know."

Finally, they turned back to Sesshoumaru and Vanessa. With one last glance at each other, the bolder of the two, the boy, stepped forward and spread his arms out, flapping them like wings.

"They want to see Shizu and Kaminari," Vanessa whispered.

The horses watched from the darkness outside the circle of firelight; they were all but invisible behind the glare from the fire.

"_We can come out and meet them,"_ Shizu offered. _"They are just children after all. They say that this must be the right place, but that 'they' aren't here. I think you are right, Vanessa. The young ones are looking for us."_

Sesshoumaru couldn't entirely agree with the suggestion that the children were harmless. They couldn't do much themselves, but when their parents came… He'd rather not have to shed unnecessary blood. They wouldn't know what they were getting themselves into in defending their offspring. And – wait a minute…

"You can understand them?" he asked into the night where darkness concealed them.

He could just see the bob of Shizu's head. _"The same way I can understand Vanessa."_

"Very well. Come into the light."

Shizu and Kaminari appeared to materialize out of the darkness. The children spun at the sound of hoof beats and squealed in delight before running up to them.

"Shizu," Vanessa began and slowly approached. "Tell them that they shouldn't be here."

"Ask them where they came from," Sesshoumaru suggested. They couldn't stay. He was having enough trouble keeping Vanessa in one piece, and two additional hangers-on would only make his life more difficult.

Sesshoumaru watched in mild amusement as they searched for Shizu's disembodied 'voice' as she spoke to them for the first time.

Once they got used to the idea of a horse that could speak into their minds, the children talked animatedly with her.

"_The boy says that they belong to a traveling people camping not far from here, and the girl tells me that they saw us flying this afternoon. They were just curious. And… their parents don't know they are here. They snuck away after they were put to bed."_

Sesshoumaru growled in annoyance. If children could find them this easily… So could the adults – and they would when they realized that the children were missing. It wasn't safe to linger. These were children. They could claim innocent curiosity, but if the adults had seen them flying too… If the entire clan were to come at them out of the darkness while they were distracted…

"Wait here," he told Vanessa and launched himself into the sky without waiting for a response.

When the campfire was just a bright speck below him, Sesshoumaru slowly turned in place until he saw a faint glow to the northeast. That must be the children's camp. Between the pale ground and the bright moonlight, he would have had no trouble seeing intruders, and after circling a few more times, he saw no one. Perhaps it was nothing more than simple paranoia, but a healthy amount of suspicion had served him well so far in life. As yet, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Would the adults have chalked the children's tales of flying horses up to fantasy? Perhaps, but he didn't want to wait until they noticed their children missing. He thought of what he would do if Rin were taken from him – of what he _had_ done to get her back. It would be best to send them home and pack up and leave.

Sesshoumaru landed near the tethered horses and brought them back to camp. He dismounted when he entered the circle of firelight and held their reins.

"Send them home," he ordered.

"What? Sesshoumaru, it's the middle of the night."

"They found their way here in the dark, and they can find their way back."

"They're children."

Sesshoumaru was unmoved. "Precisely why they should be with their parents."

Vanessa looked to Shizu and the children. "We should at least make sure they get back safely."

Sesshoumaru growled, causing the horses to shy away from him. "Fine. Shizu, tell them."

The children made protesting noises behind him while he quieted the horses.

"Vanessa, pack up and wait with Kaminari. Shizu will carry the children. She is strong enough and perhaps experiencing flight will sate their curiosity enough to leave us alone."

"Pack up?"

"Yes, we will not stay here where they might find us again."

She started packing her bedroll. "So you're going with them?"

"Someone must take their horses back."

Vanessa gave him an odd little smile and continued breaking camp, while Sesshoumaru helped the children onto Shizu's back. He tied the reins of one horse to the saddle of the other and mounted.

"Their camp is to the northeast. Don't let them tell you otherwise."

He felt a little uneasy leaving Vanessa behind, but Kaminari would be with her. They would be safe, and he would return to them soon.

Shizu flew low and slowly, and when she pulled too far ahead, she circled back so that Sesshoumaru never lost sight of her. He was proud that he never had to tell her to do so. Perhaps the threat of his anger did some good – even though these children didn't match his level of commitment to Vanessa's safety. But that look on Vanessa's face when he left… She was pleased that he was helping these children, and he had the absurd desire to see that look again.

Above him the children giggled and squealed with joy. It was good he never learned their names. They made him think of Rin. How was she doing in the care of Inuyasha's village? Were Jaken and Ah-Un protecting her well? Was old Kaede providing for her as she should? He couldn't think of that. He'd made this commitment and thoughts of what he left behind would only distract him. The glow of fire crew brighter as they neared the camp, and Sesshoumaru knew that very soon he would be able to get back to his normal travel routine. Then again… when had 'normal' come to include a stray human woman?

"Shizu, come down," he called softly to the trio above him as they continued to draw nearer to the children's people.

Reluctantly the siblings said good-bye and clambered onto their own horses to ride the remaining distance alone.

"Tell them they are to go straight back to their parents… Tell them it is dangerous to be out alone at night."

"_I will."_

Finally the children waved and turned their horses toward home, and Sesshoumaru waited until they disappeared beyond the line of tents and pavilions before starting back toward Vanessa and Kaminari.

"_Would you like a ride, Sesshoumaru-sama?"_ Shizu asked from the air above him.

"No need." He leapt into the air and glided beside her under his own power.

"_Will we be going far tonight?"_

"Not very. Only far enough to put some distance between us and where the children found our camp."

Since they could fly, they would leave not trail to follow.

"_Do you think the adults would really come after us?"_

"I don't know, but we have come far. There is no reason to take unnecessary chances."

They soon arrived where they had left the others, and as he had asked, Vanessa had packed up their meager camp, but hadn't loaded everything on Kaminari as he thought she would. Wordlessly she tied the rest of the packs to Shizu's back and went back to Kaminari.

"What are you doing?" Sesshoumaru asked as she prepared to mount up. She paused.

"You said…"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "You can make your own decisions." He may be protecting her, but he had no right to treat her like a child.

For a moment she just looked puzzled, but then she grinned. With a friendly pat on his neck, Vanessa left Kaminari and hurried over to Shizu.

"Let's go," he said. "We will not fly long, just far enough that anyone who might look will not pick up our trail."

It was pleasantly peaceful after that, no unwanted intruders, no unwanted feelings. They were simply companions traveling together – and that should have alerted Sesshoumaru that trouble was coming, that and the mountains looming ahead of them.

A/N: It was going to be longer, but… It's been just over a year (seriously. The last one was posted on April 22 last year and now it's the 23rd of this year) and I didn't want you to think I'd forgotten about you. More to come after the last finals I will (hopefully) ever take.


	24. The Pass

They were just setting up camp for the night at the foot of the mountains that seemed to span as far as the eye could see in ei

Into the East

Chapter twenty-four: The Pass

Posted: 29 April 2008

Characters originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

They were just setting up camp for the night at the foot of mountains that seemed to span as far as the eye could see in either direction when Sesshoumaru first heard them. He paused and cocked his head to listen. It sounded like distant thunder, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. In the haze of the darkening sky to the east he thought he saw… Suddenly he shot into the sky for a better look. There in the distance a broad line of horses drew ever nearer. It had to be the children's people. Who else would have known? They hadn't passed anyone else that day. Then again, they hadn't noticed the children the day before either. _Damn._

He dropped back down to the ground and met Vanessa's questioning gaze. "Pack everything up. Now. Head into the mountains."

"Now? But where should we go?" Fear edged into her voice, but he didn't have time. He wanted to intercept them before they could get dangerously close.

"Walk, fly, I don't care, but keep moving and stay out of sight."

"Sesshoumaru, what's wrong? What's happening?"

He stepped forward on impulse and touched her cheek. "Everything will be all right. I will join you shortly… We have been followed."

"Followed?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I believe they are the tribes people of those children. I will take care of it, and… I won't harm them if I can help it." For some reason it felt important to tell her that.

Vanessa put her hands on his chest and gripped the fabric of his clothes. "Be careful?"

He'd never had anyone to worry about him as he set out for battle before – not that he planned to do any actual fighting this time. Atsuko had always been by his side, never waiting at home for him to return, not from war anyway. A strange feeling welled up within him, a combination of pride, and satisfaction. She _cared_ whether he lived or died, not just as a subject for her ruler. Vanessa was concerned for the man Sesshoumaru. It warmed him and gave him confidence enough to offer the barest of smiles. "Don't worry. I will follow you. Now go."

Without a backward look, he sped off across the steppe to meet their pursuers. While they were still a good distance off, Sesshoumaru stopped and casually drew Tokijin. The familiar battle with the demon energy within the sword was almost a comfort. It seemed an age since he had last used the weapon, but it kept him focused. He let some of that energy sizzle along the cold steel in his hand. It too was eager for a fight. It was how they got along, he and Tokijin. He allowed it to quench its thirst for blood – as long as it did it on his terms. Tokijin would have to wait a little longer.

The riders arced around him as they slowed to a halt. "Turn back," Sesshoumaru said, his voice ringing out across the distance between them like a commander on the battlefield. "Leave us in peace." They wouldn't understand, naturally, but they seemed to guess something of his point. A few of them looked at each other uneasily, but when the rest pulled out their own weapons and lassos, his mind was made up.

Without warning, he swung Tokijin and drove the tip into the ground, sending up a flare and a twisting dragon of blue energy. The force of it whipped his garments around him and sent his hair streaming off his neck. The dragon screamed and strained against its bond to the blade as a cloud of energy swirled above it, ready to rain down destruction on them.

"Leave!" Sesshoumaru roared over his sword. It took everything he had to keep it restrained and under control. He could feel Tokijin's desire for their blood, but it would be denied. Whether by their riders' command or not, the horses bolted, running as hard and fast as they could away. Horses are intelligent beasts. It would be a long time before they allowed themselves to be led anywhere near here, and by that time, Sesshoumaru and the others would be long gone.

When they were out of sight, Sesshoumaru forced the energy of Tokijin back into the blade with a great effort and returned it to its sheath. He grimaced. It would be increasingly difficult if he continued to deny it a real fight. Sesshoumaru liked the relative peace of the journey, but… he also felt a similar restlessness. He couldn't forget the centuries of training as a warrior. But he must. With a sigh, he turned to track down the others. Regardless of what he'd told them, he was certain they weren't that far gone.

Sure enough, it was only a short climb up the mountain before Vanessa rushed up to him. "Are you all right?" Did anything happen?"

"No. They have gone."

Her relief was obvious. "And you didn't…"

"No. No one was harmed."

"I heard that horrible screech, but they wouldn't let me look," she said, nodding to Shizu and Kaminari. As one, they looked up from their grazing, and then lowered their heads again. He found he was strangely grateful to them. Vanessa had never seen the full extent of what he could do, what he could become.

He wasn't by any means ashamed that a part of his nature was canine. It's who he was, and he was proud of his bloodline, but Vanessa was different. Of course she knew that his other form was a dog, but she had never seen it. Wouldn't she be frightened to actually see it? To show her what a dangerous being he could be… He didn't want her to be afraid of him.

"Everything is fine," he assured her. "We should find a place for the night."

Without another word, Sesshoumaru started up the rough slope to search for suitable shelter. Light was failing quickly behind the mountains and he wanted them to be secured before it was dark. He finally settled on a shallow cleft in the side of the mountain. The weather was mild and it wasn't too windy, but he knew it would get worse the higher up they went. After some thought and scouting, he decided that it was safe to build a fire. Vanessa seemed grateful for that. He had to remember she was human. The cool nights would grow more and more uncomfortable, even dangerous for her the more winter tightened its hold on them.

"Sit with me, Vanessa," he said once camp was made. She smiled and took the blanket he offered as she sat down beside him.

"What's up?"

Sesshoumaru watched her wrap the blanket around herself until he was satisfied that she was warm enough, and then he turned his focus to the darkening sky. "You don't need to worry about me," he told her. "I can take care of myself."

"I know…"

"Shizu or Kaminari would take you back to Japan safely if anything happened to me."

"No, that's not it. I just don't want to see you get hurt because you're here with me. You're not just some dispensable bodyguard, you know."

"I see." He didn't really. It was still so strange to him that someone could want to know him without any expectations, no hidden motives. Even Rin needed something from him. True, he never _had_ to take her in, but she was a child, and now that he had committed to her, she needed to be taken care of, and that was his responsibility. If he'd given her the chance, Vanessa probably would have found a way home on her own, but there was something about her that he hadn't wanted to part with just yet. Sesshoumaru sighed and leaned back against the cleft wall, closing his eyes. He smiled just a little to himself when she tucked herself closer to him to share in his body heat and laid her head on his shoulder.

VvVvVvVvVvV

Vanessa woke up warm. She was curled up next to the fire with two blankets tucked around her. Sesshoumaru must have moved her. "Good morning," she said when she spotted him on the other side of the fire. He nodded.

"What's the plan?"

"We must find a pass over these mountains if you wish to continue westward."

She closed her eyes, trying to remember her geography. "We might not need to… North. I don't think they turn away eventually. We could just follow them, and if a way across turns up, great. If not, we'll get past them eventually."

"Hm."

Without warning, he launched himself into the sky, probably to have a look and see if what she said was true. She watched him go up, up, up until she could barely see him as a pale speck against the pale blue sky.

"_Where did he go?"_ Shizu asked.

"I think he's going to see if we can follow the mountains or if we should try to cross them."

"There looks to be a pass not far north of here," Sesshoumaru said, appearing suddenly behind them. Vanessa jumped.

"Don't do that!" But he only smirked.

"I think we will be able to cross fairly easily without going too far out of the way. Whenever you are ready."

Vanessa started folding up the blankets as he spoke and looked around the camp to see what else needed to be done. They hadn't really unpacked that much.

Sesshoumaru glanced up at the horses and pulled her aside. "I know you don't want them to go, but you have said that his 'Europe' would be hostile to them. How close are we?"

She'd been avoiding thinking about that since the day before, but she knew that sooner or later they would have to say good-bye, and she wasn't going to freak out on him like she did yesterday. "These mountains… form a kind of natural border. We've been fortunate not to come across any major cities yet, but there will be more. I think… I think after we get past the mountains, they should go home," she finished softly.

He took a hesitant step forward, shielding her. "Are you sure? I can avoid cities."

Vanessa nodded. "I don't want to take the chance that someone will see them. Like you said, if children could track us down… I don't want anything to happen to them."

"Very well." There was concern in his eyes as he looked down at her, but he looked proud too, pleased with her decision. After all, these were his subjects she was talking about and he was there to look after them as much as he protected her. Finally he nodded and turned back to load the bags on Shizu and Kaminari's backs. Vanessa took a deep breath and picked up the food he'd left her by the fire.

"Hey there, pretty girl," she said with a scratch for Shizu's ears. "Ready to get going?"

She nodded and pranced in place a little, earning her a stern, "Shizu" from Sesshoumaru, who was trying to fix a bag to her saddle.

"Sorry," Vanessa apologized, trying not to smile at the mare's antics. She would miss her. Would she ever see her again? How must it be for people like Sesshoumaru, who lived so long that they saw people live and die before their eyes? Well, apparently he had hardened his heart from caring for other people with only a few exceptions. Would he fall back into that mindset after she was gone? Or was it arrogant of her to think that she had made any sort of impact on him? She didn't think so. He _did_ seem warmer than when she had first met him. What would he be like if, _if_ she ever saw him again?

"_Ready?"_ Shizu's voice in her head snapped her back to the present.

"Yep." Sesshoumaru looked at her curiously, but she only shrugged. It didn't do any good to think about that before she knew whether or not she would even be able to get home. She didn't want to think about the possibility of never seeing him again. That would hurt too much. In fact, it was surprisingly painful. She looked up and found him frowning at her. Their connection. Vanessa had forgotten that he could feel some of what she did. She put on a smile and shook her head. He didn't seem convinced, but he leapt onto Kaminari's back and waited for her to do the same.

Having mounts that could fly definitely made crossing the mountains easier. They couldn't simply fly up and over because the air would be so thin and cold that they would never make it, but a short lift over especially difficult terrain in the pass made all the difference. They took an easy pace, and were well into the pass before Sesshoumaru suggested stopping for the night. He looked restless, however, like something wasn't right.

Vanessa, Shizu and Kaminari hovered above, while Sesshoumaru inspected several likely places to spend the night on the mountain, but every time he would go in to check things out, he'd come back out and tell them to move on to the next. As far as Vanessa could tell, they were all empty, but she didn't have the senses that he did. Finally, after the fourth or fifth stop, she called him over.

"Are you looking for something in particular? Or do you plan to keep hopping all over the mountain the whole night?"

He growled and looked back to the broad opening he had just exited. She could feel his frustration, but over what?

"I don't know."

Vanessa stared at him, not quite certain she had heard right.

"You don't know?" She nodded to the cave he'd been glaring at. "That one looks like it could hold all of us."

"It can."

"So… What's the problem?"

He frowned at the opening again. "I don't know. There are too many scents that I do not recognize, feelings that are foreign to me. This whole mountain _feels_ wrong."

Suddenly she noticed the strange silence of the area. Maybe she hadn't noticed before because she was in the air, but they really weren't that high up. There should be birds chirping, squirrels chattering, insects buzzing… but there was nothing.

"Let's move on," she suggested uncertainly. "I'm getting a bad feeling about this place, too so why don't we put our time to better use and leave it behind us."

Sesshoumaru growled once more, but nodded. "Very well. Let's go. Quickly," he added as an afterthought.

She could see now why he might be frustrated. He was used to being in control, at least to the extent of knowing what his senses were telling him, and traveling blindly through an unknown land was hardly a controlled situation.

He flew just outside Shizu's wingspan, close enough to guard, but far enough not to get tangled up in her wings.

"Look at the path," he said, pointing to the ground below as they flew. "It doesn't look like it has been used in quite some time."

"Sesshoumaru… What is that?"

He glanced up in the direction Vanessa was pointing, and then he froze, head cocked, listening. Suddenly he whirled and sped toward them, slamming into Shizu's shoulder, knocking them out of the path of a second fireball. Vanessa shrieked as she fell from Shizu's back and felt the wave of heat pass her by. Then the air was forced from her lungs as Sesshoumaru snatched her out of the air and swung her around onto his back. "Move!" he cried as Shizu recovered and regained altitude. "Separate and don't stay in one place."

Vanessa coughed and tried to catch her breath. "Are you all right?" Sesshoumaru asked over his shoulder. She nodded then, realizing he couldn't see her, held on a little tighter. "Fine," she coughed.

"Hold tightly."

Sesshoumaru zigzagged across the sky, weaving in and out of Shizu and Kaminari's paths, and as he rolled away from another jet of flame, Vanessa caught sight of a huge winged beast behind them. It could only be a dragon. A real dragon! A second followed close on Shizu's heels, its horned snout snapping inches from her tail. "Look out, Shizu!" Vanessa cried, just as she tucked her hind legs under her and kicked. The dragon pulled up and screamed in pain and surprise before retaliating with fire. But Shizu apparently anticipated this and dove, letting the fire sail past her.

Hot air blew Vanessa's air around her face. She didn't need to look behind her. "Sesshoumaru! Drop!"

He didn't need to be told twice, and Vanessa clung to him as her stomach lurched up into her throat. A dragon blew past them and took off after Kaminari. It was gaining quickly.

"_Papa!"_ Shizu cried, too far away to do anything to help, small as she was. Sesshoumaru drew a sword from his sash and with a crack, a bolt of energy shot toward the dragon on his tail. It singed its scaly shoulder, causing the beast to stumble in the air and give Kaminari a precious few extra meters.

The land was already dropping away below them. Had they crossed the mountains already? When the foothills rolled down below, the dragons each shot off one more spout of flame and bellowed after them before turning back to their mountain home. They flew hard for a while longer, until the pass was far behind them then Sesshoumaru called them to ground. He watched the sky behind them intently for any sign of pursuit, while Vanessa dropped off his back to check on Shizu and Kaminari. Both were panting, lathered in sweat and trembling.

"_I'm not as young as I used to be,"_ Kaminari said with a wry chuckle.

"Can we stay here?" Vanessa asked Sesshoumaru. He squinted into the distance and finally nodded. "Let me rub you two down," she offered and began taking the bags from their backs.

"_Please," _responded Kaminari gratefully.

"Shizu, sweetie, I need you to move." The younger horse had been huddling close to her father, relieved that neither had been hurt, and obviously still frightened.

"_Sorry,"_ she said sheepishly and stepped aside to let Vanessa get to work with a towel and a brush.

"That was a nice kick you got in there," Vanessa commented as she started on Kaminari. Shizu dropped her head modestly, and if she'd been human, she was sure she would have blushed. It wasn't until she moved on to the mare that she noticed that she was favoring her left foreleg.

"Shizu, are you all right?"

"Did I hurt you badly?" Sesshoumaru asked, appearing by her side and stepping up to Shizu to feel the soundness of her leg.

"_No, I'll be all right. I think it's just a bruise."_

He took the towel from Vanessa's hands and dropped the brush at his feet for use later, and began rubbing her down himself. "We will go easy until the pain goes down," he said.

"_Really. I'd rather be bruised by you, than burned up by… whatever that was."_

Sesshoumaru looked back over his shoulder at Vanessa. "Yes… What exactly was that?"

He eyed her in mild reproach, as though she should have told him what to expect. "Those were… dragons, I think. They're not supposed to be real," she finished softly.

"Those look like no dragons I have seen."

Vanessa shook her head. "They are. Western dragons look different than the ones you know."

"Hm. No matter. We must have trespassed into their territory. That would explain why the path hasn't been used."

"Do you think we're safe here?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I don't think they would have turned back if we were still in their territory. It could be that they have a nest that they were protecting." He tossed the towel and brush aside and disappeared into the woods, only to return a few minutes later with firewood.

Vanessa draped Shizu and Kaminari's blankets over them and went over to the fire to get herself ready for bed. Sesshoumaru sat back on his haunches beside her. "Will you be speaking to them?" he asked softly. "They can't go back the way we just came."

She nodded silently. "I'll talk to them," she whispered after a minute. "Tomorrow."

"We can stay here tomorrow… I want to be sure Shizu's shoulder is just bruised." He paused. "I… I didn't mean to hurt her, or to let you fall."

Vanessa reached out and gave his hand a squeeze. "I know." He raised his eyebrows in surprise. He was trying to show her he wasn't heartless, and she knew it was an effort. Honestly, her own ribs felt a little bruised from when he caught her, but she wouldn't tell him that. It seemed like he felt bad enough already that he'd inadvertently hurt Shizu, and he wasn't one who tolerated a guilty conscience. "I think we would have liked the alternative even less. You got us out of there safely. That's all that matters." She let go of his hand and he stood.

"I am going to have a look around. Are you hungry?"

"No… I'll wait 'til morning. I think I'll just go to bed now."

"Very well… good night."

With that, he disappeared to prowl in the woods. He was trying not to care, that much she could tell by the link they shared, but he was betrayed by that same connection. Still… he never took off the bracelet to hide his feelings. He obviously hadn't forgotten about it, since he was constantly reminded by her rampant emotions. She should learn to keep them in check, if only to save him the trouble of wondering if he needed to do something. He hadn't complained about it so far, but then again he wouldn't, would he? In the end, she decided not to worry about it and curled up to sleep. She didn't have much time left with Shizu, and she wanted to be able to get up early enough to make the most of it.

The next morning, she awoke to the smell of meat sizzling over the fire. She hadn't heard Sesshoumaru come back last night so she assumed he'd been out thinking or brooding, or whatever he did when he went off alone. That was fine. He certainly hadn't gotten any time to just be alone on this trip so she couldn't blame him for needing to step away and clear his head once in a while.

Shizu trotted up to her without any sign of a limp. _"Good, you're awake. Sesshoumaru-sama said we're going to stay here today. I asked him if it was because of me, but he said no. What do you want to do today?"_

"That's a good question." There was what she _wanted_ to do and what she _needed _to do, and she wanted to put off that particular conversation as long as she could. "I guess I could find some water and do some wash. Sesshoumaru?"

He looked up from his seat by the fire.

"Do you have anything that needs to be washed?" He nodded and went to one of his bags.

"Want to come with me, Shizu?"

"_Sure!"_

Sesshoumaru handed her a bag of clothes and grabbed her shoulder gently as she turned to finish gathering her own things. "Do you need any help?" His gaze flicked over to Shizu and back.

"Nope," she answered brightly. Maybe too brightly. He studied her for a long moment, and finally nodded once before returning to his seat.

"Take some with you," he said, indicating the meat he'd cooked up.

"I will, thank you."

Vanessa tied her bag to Sesshoumaru's and slung them over Shizu's back before wrapping something for her breakfast. "Can you point me in the direction of some water?" she asked Sesshoumaru, and he pointed.

"About twenty yards that way is a stream."

Since he didn't make any move to follow, she assumed that there wasn't any sort of threat nearby so she smiled and set off with Shizu trailing behind her. It wasn't easy washing clothes by hand, and it certainly wasn't fun, but it had to be done, and Vanessa was the most able to do it. Besides, it made her feel like she was doing something to contribute.

She started with Sesshoumaru's and marveled at the way the scorch marks from yesterday lifted off in the water. He must have changed while she was sleeping and she hadn't even noticed. Her own clothes were ordinary linen and cotton and would take a little more scrubbing to get clean. Despite their natural cleaning abilities, Vanessa gave them a once over with the bar of soap. It was mildly scented, which she figured Kagome selected because of her experience with Inuyasha's nose.

Shizu chatted with her while she worked, and when she was finished with Sesshoumaru's clothes, helped her hang them over branches and bushes to dry.

It took a little longer to clean her own clothes and a few other things, but when they were hanging to dry, too, Vanessa took a moment to glance around and just to be sure no one was there and called back toward camp, "Sesshoumaru, I'm taking a bath." Just in case he decided to check on them. With some men, like that monk Miroku, she knew such an announcement was an invitation for trouble, but not Sesshoumaru. He was about as honorable as they came, and she knew she didn't need to worry about him sneaking a peek.

So Vanessa stripped down in the chilly autumn air and dunked herself in the stream. She came up gasping, much to Shizu's amusement, but quickly cleaned the clothes she had been wearing, and diligently scrubbed until her hair didn't feel grimy and her skin was pink – and she was shivering too much to hold onto the soap. Feeling like a drowned poodle, she hauled herself back onto the bank and gratefully took the clean towel Shizu held in her teeth. _"Wrap up and sit with me,_" Shizu said and folded herself up in a sunny patch, extending one wing for Vanessa to take shelter under while her clothes dried.

"Th-thanks," she muttered through chattering teeth.

"_You humans… Don't get me wrong, you smell better than most humans I've met, but risking illness just to be clean…"_

"Sesshoumaru bathes in cold streams too," Vanessa reasoned.

"_Yes, but he is youkai, and he doesn't take ill."_

"Well, that's why I have you here, my walking furnace."

"_Thanks…"_

And it was warm, huddled next to Shizu's warm body and sheltered from the wind by her feathered wing.

"_Nee-san… Vanessa, I couldn't help hearing you last night… It will be time to say good-bye soon, won't it?"_

Vanessa turned and buried her face against Shizu's shoulder. She nodded. "Yes," she whispered. "Very soon."

Shizu sighed. _"I'm glad to know you, and I'll never forget you."_

"It's not that I want you to go, I really don't, but after those people came try and catch you and your father… It will only get worse, and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"_I know. We've known from the beginning that we wouldn't go with you all the way to the end, but we are happy to have helped as much as we could."_

"It will be tomorrow," Vanessa said. "I don't know how far out of the way you'll need to go, but you can't go back over the pass we came through."

Shizu shuddered. _"No, I don't think we'll try that. Don't worry, we'll find a way home."_

"Please be careful. The worst part is that I'll have no way of knowing that you got home safely. I don't know if I'll ever see you or Sesshoumaru, or anyone else again." Shizu tucked her wing around Vanessa a little tighter in a comforting gesture.

"_What about that other human girl, the miko. Will you try to contact her when you get home?"_

"Of course. She's done so much for me I want to find a way to thank her."

"_We could get a message to her to pass on to you."  
_

"Would you?"

"_Sure. She's already met us, after all. And who knows, maybe we'll be there waiting when you cross over again."_

"That's a nice thought." But she didn't want to get her hopes up. Five centuries was a long time, and anything could happen.

They talked and reminisced until the sun was high in the sky. Reluctantly, Vanessa emerged from the shelter of Shizu's wings and stretched. The clothes were dry, and she decided it was time they got back to camp. She dressed quickly and began folding the laundry, sorting her clothes from Sesshoumaru's and placing them in their separate bags. Soon it would be too cold to wash in streams, and she could only hope to find an inn with _clean _hot water she could use to bathe in. Vanessa shuddered to think of the hygiene practices of this time period, but she's have to make do.

"Come on," she said, and led the way back to camp. It didn't seem real that in a few short hours, she would be saying a final good-bye to Shizu, but still tears burned her eyes. She forced them back.

Vanessa left Shizu with her father and pulled a pad of paper from Kagome out of her bag before going hesitantly toward Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru… Could you help me with something?"

He looked up at her curiously. Maybe it was the struggle she was fighting to control her emotions or maybe he really didn't mind, but finally he nodded, taking the paper gingerly in his claws when she passed it and a pen to him. He eyed the writing utensil dubiously, but looked pleasantly surprised when she urged him to try it out.

"I'd like you to help me write a letter."

VvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru felt his lip begin to curl in disgust – not at the girls, but at himself. This was what happened when he allowed himself to grow too attached. This was what his weakness earned him: the knowledge that he would soon have to say good-bye to yet another person he cared for. Yes, he cared. He couldn't deny it. But it was no use going back now. He couldn't take back the words he had spoken, couldn't undo the things he had done.

He didn't want to.

Would she shed tears for him? He could see her shoulders shaking as she clung to Shizu's neck. This wasn't something he should be watching. This was… personal, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. She had been there only a short time. How could she have made such an impact on them all?

When she left she would simply vanish from his world as suddenly as she had come. Somehow that seemed so… ordinary. But that's what she was – an ordinary human girl, and that's what was most baffling.

"Kaminari-san," he said softly, as much to distract himself of these thoughts as to finish an actual item of business.

"_My lord?"_

"Take these to Saburo when you return. I have written him an update of the progress of our journey as well as further instruction until my return." He paused and touched a second packet he had just tucked into one of the packs returning with the pair.

"There are also letters from Vanessa. See that a messenger is sent to Rin in the village of Inuyasha's forest."

The day before, he had sat by the fire with Vanessa and wrote out everything she wanted to say to the ones they left behind. That was an odd experience. He'd never thought about being someone else's voice before, and she didn't even balk at telling him what heartfelt sentiments she wanted him to pass along to Rin, Saburo, Rai, Kagome – even the two serving women who had attended her during her stay.

_Such an odd creature._

He didn't get a letter… It was surprisingly disappointing, but then again, he was going to be with her until the end.

"_I will take it to her myself, Sesshoumaru-sama. It will be no trouble. Shizu might like to see the child again, too."_

"I thank you, Kaminari-san. Your assistance this journey has been greatly appreciated."

"_We were honored to help."_

Sesshoumaru gave him a pat on the shoulder and turned back to the females. It was time. They couldn't linger in this place forever. He walked slowly, giving them a few more moments before gently placing his hand on Vanessa's shoulder.

She flinched and tensed under his touch.

"Vanessa," he said softly. "It is time."

"I know," she whispered.

She took a shuddering breath, kissed Shizu on the nose, and turned and walked away. That… wasn't the response he'd expected.

Kaminari stepped up to his daughter then and there was no more stalling.

"Take care on the journey home," Sesshoumaru told them. "We will speak more when I return."

Shizu nodded, but it was Kaminari who spoke. _"Yes, my lord, and you also."_

Sesshoumaru eyed Shizu.

"Shizu."

Her wings drooped, but she looked up at him.

"I would like to speak with you when I return."

She nodded again. _"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama."_

"Good girl." He rubbed her nose and turned to go to Vanessa.

"_Sesshoumaru-sama?"_

He paused and looked over his shoulder as Shizu trotted up to him.

"_Do you think… do you think we'll ever see her again?"_

"There are a great many years separating our time and hers. We cannot know what will happen between now and then."

"_I see… Travel safely, Sesshoumaru-sama. Take care of Vanessa… And come back to us!"_

With that she whirled and ran past Kaminari before springing into the sky.

"I will, young Shizu," he said softly. "Go now, Kaminari-san, before you lose more daylight."

Kaminari bowed and leapt into the sky after his daughter.

Sesshoumaru watched them go for a moment and turned back to Vanessa. She had her back to him.

"Vanessa?"

She turned around with a smile. Her face was blotched and her eyes were puffy from crying into Shizu's neck, but she seemed… fine. Again, not what he was expecting. Something wasn't quite right here.

"Ready to go?" she asked and picked up her pack before turning back toward the west.

Sesshoumaru eyed her warily. She had been in knots all last night and in the hours leading up to this. She hardly slept, and when she did she was nestled under Shizu's wing. And now… It was just strange.

"You did not see them off."

She paused for a heartbeat and then started walking.

"We said our good-byes. We're done."

Now that didn't sound like the Vanessa he knew at all. Should he try to get her to talk as she so often coerced him? If he were to start down that path… how was he to go about it? He sighed. _Humans…_

"Vanessa," he called and she paused long enough for him to grab the remaining bags and catch up. "I thought you might have wanted to spend a few more moments with Shizu."

"What's the point?"

"Vanessa, stop this."

"Stop what?"

"This," he said, waving his hand. "You are not yourself."

She surged ahead. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Sesshoumaru wanted to throw up his hands and be done with it. Why was she doing this? She was close to Shizu, even he could see that and he was supposed to be the unfeeling bastard – he knew was people said – not her. It was what he liked about her. Her freedom with her feelings intrigued him. This… was not her.

He caught her wrist, forcing her to stop and face him. She scowled and tried to pull her hand free, but he held on firmly.

"Why do you act as though you don't care that she left?"

"What do you want me to do? Fall apart because I'll never see her again?"

Sesshoumaru let her go. "I want you… to be you."

"I can't be 'me' right now."

"Vanessa… I don't expect you to be cheerful and happy all the time. I expect you… to be honest. You are hurting. I can feel it so don't hide it."

Tears welled up in her eyes and she practically threw herself at him. This was the response he had been anticipating, what he had prepared himself to handle.

He held her, resting his cheek against her hair until she quieted.

"You knew this was coming," he said gently.

"I know."

She sniffed and twirled a lock of his hair around her finger.

"You lied to me, you know," Vanessa accused.

"When?"

"You said it was easier to pretend you didn't care."

Sesshoumaru sighed softly. "It is only easier if one does not care from the start. It is futile to try to deny your feelings."

"It's going to be harder when I leave you behind," she whispered, and he didn't know what to say to that. He agreed, but what could he tell her to make it easier?

He gave her another moment, but the day wouldn't last forever. "Let us be on our way," he said finally and Vanessa nodded.

They would walk for now, until they could find some horses that is, but it would take little effort for him to bring them into the sky.

He was looking forward less and less to the end of this journey. He almost wished it would turn out to be a failure. Almost.

A/N: A little longer than last time…

It's 3 in the morning and I should have had an actual assignment finished by now, but I couldn't seem to get this out of my head, so there you have it.

I just want to thank all of you who commented. I've had a few pretty big personal upheavals lately and every FF Review Alert that popped up in my mailbox was a little burst of sunny happiness. So thank you I missed that when I wasn't getting chapters done. I was writing ahead – as I have been since the beginning, I guess – so I've got about 4 different endings I need to choose from now lol. But you don't need to worry about that just yet. There's still a lot to tell.


	25. Coping

Sesshoumaru studied Vanessa from the corner of his eye

Into the East

Chapter twenty-five: Coping

Posted: 16 September 2008

Characters originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

The morning sun shone warm on their backs, but Sesshoumaru took no comfort from it. He studied Vanessa from the corner of his eye. Shizu and Kaminari had only left the day before, but she was having an astonishingly difficult time coping. She looked pale and she'd hardly said anything more than "Good morning" since they set out at dawn. He didn't know what to do, what to say to make it right. A probe into their link told him nothing. There was actually a hollow feel to it, as if a part of her had been left behind when others went home. It was absurd, but it worried him. How would she react when they finally parted ways?

"We might try to find an inn for the night," he suggested, breaking the gloomy silence. "I think I would like to have a real bed beneath me again." Sesshoumaru peered down at her until she looked up, her eyes listless and dim.

"An inn?" He hated to see that look, hated feeling that deep sadness rolling off of her. He was starting to understand why… but still he denied it. Did he dare hope that he had any kind of hold over her? And yet, he didn't want to be the cause of the pained look he saw in her eyes now. Whatever else he might have done, that would be unforgivable. It will pass, he told himself. It had to.

Finally she nodded and turned her eyes back to the road. "That would be nice."

"Perhaps they will have a musician," he offered, hoping she would continue talking.

Vanessa brightened a little. "You like music?"

He nodded, feeling a wave of relief. Her mood _would_ pass. If he'd learned anything from Rin, it was that humans are slaves to their emotions. Vanessa cared so deeply for her friends, that saying good-bye was a heavy blow. Not knowing what to do in the mean time, however, was maddening.

"Do you play anything?"

Sesshoumaru snorted and shook his head. "No. When I was young, my father had me learn a few of the traditional instruments, but I have not played in _many_ years."

"I'd bet Rin would like to hear you play… Would you ever play for her?"

"Perhaps… If the opportunity arose, and she showed any interest… and if she could forgive my lack of practice."

"I doubt there's anything you couldn't do well if you put your mind to it," she said, blushing prettily.

"Oh, I am far from perfect," Sesshoumaru disagreed. He wasn't very good at keeping her from getting hurt.

"I didn't say you were perfect… just talented."

"Hm." She was talking again. That was important. It was a good sign.

"Rin likes to sing. Maybe I should have her take lessons just as my father had me learn."

He took a few steps before noticing that she had stopped suddenly and turned. A tear trailed silently down her cheek and off her chin.

"What is it?" he asked worriedly. "What's wrong?" It was something he said, clearly, but what?

Vanessa dashed her tears away with her sleeve angrily. "I'm being stupid," she muttered.

If she'd asked him right then, he would have turned around and taken her home without a second thought. Instead, she marched ahead down the road.

"Vanessa, stop."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm not being fair to you. You've been so great. It's just… I'll never see them again, will I?"

"You don't know that."

"But even if by some small chance you and the others survive… I'll never see Rin again. She'll grow up and die… and… I know I haven't known either of you all that long, but I kind of got attached to her. And you."

He looked at her sharply, making her blush again, though she smiled sadly. Every now and then she said something like that, and every time it made him feel that it was getting more and more difficult to let her go. But he had to. If she wanted to go home, he had to let her. It was only right.

"If there's a musician, I wonder…" she said, drawing his attention back. "We're still centuries away from some of the great composers, but you might like what you hear. It'll be different from what you know. Maybe we could… never mind." Her face shut down again as she turned away from him.

"What?" He felt like he was losing ground now that she'd finally opened up again. One day of her silence seemed to drag on and on. Her voice had become such a large part of his personal environment, and… well, it just felt wrong for her to be so quiet.

"What would you like to do?"

"I was just thinking… maybe if - when I get home, and if you're still around… maybe we could go to the symphony, or an opera, but that's just-"

"I would like that."

Something of her usual spark returned to her eyes, and she gave him a tremulous smile. "You would?" Despite that, he could hear her heart pounding. She was afraid… afraid that she wouldn't get home or… that he would decide he didn't want to? It was nonsense, of course. Why shouldn't he expect to see her again?

"Will you remember after all that time?" she asked uncertainly, taking the words right out of his mind.

"Youkai have long memories," he reminded her. "But… will you remind me if I forget?" She just smiled and started walking. He hoped she never forgot the friends she'd made there – or him for that matter – but he didn't want her to mourn either. It was unsettling to see her so distraught.

The path they had taken through the pass had widened and eventually joined with a larger road. In the distance he saw a shimmering ribbon winding through the fields. It had to be a river or a stream at the very least. How different could these humans be from those in his homeland? If they followed the road, they should come across a town sooner or later along the river, and if luck was with them, there would be an inn – even if it meant stopping a little sooner than he would have liked. Vanessa would feel more herself soon, and a night in a real bed could only help her. If not tonight, maybe tomorrow, but at least fresh water was in sight. Until then… he didn't know what he could do for her.

"Is it strange that there is no one on this road?" he asked her after a while.

Vanessa shrugged. "I don't know. I guess if anyone else knew about the dragons, they'd probably stay away, don't you think? I wouldn't stay too close, especially if I had livestock. Or a family." She shuddered.

"Hm."

They continued in silence, Vanessa seemingly content to wallow in her thoughts, and Sesshoumaru at a loss for conversation starters. It wasn't uncomfortable, really, but he did continue to worry about her.

As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, Vanessa stumbled. Sesshoumaru caught her reflexively, but when he looked at her, she seemed hardly able to keep her eyes open. "Tired…" she whispered, putting a hand over her eyes. Trees lined the road so it was only a few steps more to get her into their shade. Had he missed something? Some sign that she was ill?

"Are you not feeling well?" he asked her, touching her forehead and finding her temperature normal.

She shook her head. "Just tired all of a sudden."

"We will take a short rest and then continue on to an inn. There must be a town somewhere. Sit."

Vanessa nodded without question and sat. "Sorry," she mumbled and leaned on his shoulder when he sat beside her.

"Don't be," Sesshoumaru whispered. "Just sleep."

She was asleep before the words were even out of his mouth, and he put his arm around her, pulling her close, and draping the edge of his cloak around her. They could stop for an hour, and then they needed to either get moving again or set up camp. What could be wrong with her? What could she have caught so suddenly? He tightened his hold on her just a little, wanting to shield her from anything that could harm her. As he'd thought so many times before, he was far too attached, but what could he do?

"Vanessa," he said softly after a while. "We need to move on."

Her hand flexed on his chest as she awoke with a deep breath and stretched. "How long was I asleep?"

"Only an hour."

"A whole hour?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "How are you feeling?" he asked warily.

"Much better," Vanessa answered with a smile, a true smile. Inwardly he sighed in relief.

"Let's go."

The town was actually not that far down the road. When the wind shifted, Sesshoumaru detected the first traces of human stench.

And it was a stench.

But he would just have to tolerate it. The town was a decent size, houses radiating out in rings about a common pasture, with a building Vanessa called a 'church' on one end, and a few shops and a tavern that doubled as an inn on the other. How they were going to make their wishes known, he had no idea, but Vanessa seemed confident. She still looked a little pale, and there was that ever present sadness and feeling of loss, but she was talking more. A man of few words himself, he hadn't thought silences could feel so heavy. She just needed some comfort. Who knew that he could be needed that way?

Before they drew too near, Sesshoumaru flipped the hood of his cloak over his silvery head and hid his distinctive markings from the curious eyes of farmers and villagers that they were passing on the road with more and more frequency. "So how are we going to do this?" Vanessa whispered, eyes roaming everywhere, betraying her curiosity.

"This is the first town past the mountains. I think it is safe to say that they expect travelers, but why don't we go in and watch first?"

"Sounds good to me."

They entered the tavern and took an out of the way seat in a corner. At first no one took notice of them, but soon more and more heads filled with curious looks turned their way, until the whole room was murmuring and watching them in thinly veiled interest. "Perhaps they are not as used to travelers as I would have imagined," he muttered and turned slightly, trying to keep his face in the shadow of his cowl.

"Someone's coming," Vanessa whispered.

A large man in an apron with dark, graying hair framing a cheerful face strode up to them with a pitcher and two mugs, while heads turned to mark his progress. He set the mugs down and poured as he spoke to them.

"Do you know this tongue?" Sesshoumaru asked, leaning toward Vanessa to shield his words. She shook her head, but then smiled up at the man, nodding her thanks. He asked a question, directing it toward Vanessa since Sesshoumaru obviously wasn't going to look at him, but she only shrugged and shook her head. Comprehension dawned on him and he grinned.

"Andrei," he said, slapping his chest.

"His name is Andrei," she whispered, and then louder, pointing to herself, "Vanessa, and… Sesshoumaru."

"Vanessa… Seh-sho-mah-roo?" he said, pointing to each of them in turn.

Vanessa laughed, and Sesshoumaru cringed at the butchery of his name. He hoped they wouldn't have to go through this every time they wanted a roof for the night. She pantomimed a bit more, and eventually the innkeeper ambled off.

"He's bringing food… I think." Vanessa told him as she reached across the table for their drinks. She sniffed hers and shrugged before taking a sip. Sesshoumaru followed suit, but never got around to actually taking a sip. It smelled horrible.

"What is that?" he asked, fighting back revulsion.

"Ah… ale? I guess it's an acquired taste."

Andrei soon came back with dishes of some kind of meat stew and a basket of bread rolls.

"Andrei," Vanessa said, catching his attention before he turned away. He looked at her expectantly as she pushed the two ale mugs toward him with an apologetic smile. "Wine?" He stared at her blankly and slowly reached for the mugs. "Hm… _Vino_?"

"Ah!" he cried and nodded, whisking away the mugs and hurrying back to the kitchen. Sesshoumaru watched him hand the mugs to a pair of men at another table. They cheered, banged the mugs together, and guzzled down the vile liquid. He shuddered.

"You do speak this language," he accused, turning to Vanessa. She shook her head and tore off a piece of bread to dip in her stew.

"No. 'Vino' is Italian, which is Latin based, and since Latin has such a big influence on language, I thought I'd give it a try. Someone has to know at least a few words, right? Besides, a lot of the languages borrow from each other around here… I just don't know how far back it all goes." None of that meant anything to him, but if it got him something tolerable to drink, it didn't really matter.

Andrei came back to them then and produced goblets and a wine flask with a flourish. "Vino," he announced proudly. Vanessa grinned and clapped her hands, making the man beam at her before filling their goblets and leaving the flask on the table.

Sesshoumaru hesitantly sniffed the contents of one goblet and took a sip just large enough to get the flavor on his tongue. He was relieved to taste wine, a variety he'd never had before, but wine just the same. "Thank you," he said, not looking at Vanessa, but into his plate of stew instead. There were chunks of vegetables and pieces of meat in some kind of thick, seasoned broth. It wasn't entirely unappetizing…

"No problem."

He looked up at her then and watched her chew a bite of bread, and thought about taking a roll for himself, but that just wasn't practical. She paused in her chewing and he could feel her eyes on him as he picked up the spoon. Then she tore a piece off of her own roll and held it out to him. "Want to try it? The bread is really good. Fresh baked."

Sesshoumaru hesitated, and finally took the bread from her hand and dipped it in the stew. "It is good," he said, looking up at her in surprise. She grinned at him and tore a manageable piece off a fresh roll and set it by his plate before tearing a piece for herself.

"We can share," she said softly and returned to her meal.

A cheer rose up in the tavern a few minutes later, making Sesshoumaru look up and search curiously for the cause. A man with wild white hair and a long beard wearing an odd-colored cloak strode to a stool by the fireplace, and with a grand gesture, produced a sort of stringed instrument and sat.

"A musician?" he asked Vanessa.

She nodded. "Looks like it."

Sesshoumaru watched with keen interest as he plucked a few strings to tune and began to sing a melancholy song. It would have been nice to know the words, but his voice was good, and the music was lovely in its strangeness. Before he knew it, the musician had finished his set and was packing up. His food was cold, and Vanessa was drowsing with her head pillowed on her arms beside him. She was right of course. The music was different, but he did like it. Judging by the crowd in the tavern, some of the songs were well known and very likely bawdy and unfit for polite company, but they were energetic and quite entertaining. But where had the time gone?

Andrei appeared at their table and pointed to the ceiling and mimed sleep. That must be where the rooms were. Sesshoumaru nodded, and the innkeeper beckoned him to follow.

"Vanessa," he said softly and gently shook her shoulder.

"Hm?"

"Andrei is going to show us to a room."

"Oh… okay."

She rubbed her eyes and stood. After a stretch, she picked up her bag and followed the big innkeeper. Up one set of stairs, and down at the other end of the hall, Andrei came to a halt. He looked from Vanessa to Sesshoumaru and then pointed to two doors, and with a questioning look, held up two fingers, and then one.

"One room or two?" Vanessa asked sleepily.

The youkai lord looked uncertainly at the hall and then stepped up to the door to check the security. "One," he said. There was no lock on the door, and call him paranoid, but he didn't want to leave Vanessa alone.

She conveyed the message, and Andrei showed them to a room, lit a candle and waved good night. Vanessa entered first and dropped her bag – and then she stopped short. "Um…"

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked as he left the rest of the bags with hers. In the light of that single candle, he discovered their dilemma: there was only one bed. It wasn't an especially small bed, but it also wasn't very large and stood alone in the corner by the window. He guessed the assumption was that if they were sharing a room, they must be married... "You take it," he said automatically. It would be easier for him to sleep in the chair or on the floor than it would be for her.

"Don't be silly," she said, snapping out of her shock. "You did say you'd like a real bed under you again. We can share. It's not like we're strangers." She pulled down the blankets and ran her hand over the sheet beneath. "Really. Why shouldn't you get to sleep in a bed just because there's only one?"

They had been traveling together for over a month, almost two, and sure they had slept by the same fire, but… that wasn't sharing a bed. Would this be proper?

"Come on, I won't bite." She disappeared behind a folding screen to change, leaving him to struggle through what he thought would be best. Finally, he took off his boots and sat on the edge of the mattress. It was lumpy, and he could smell a slight mustiness in the straw that filled it, but otherwise it was clean enough, and it was certainly an improvement over the hard ground.

Vanessa smiled as she came around the screen in the peculiar top and pants that she slept in. "It'll be fine," she assured him. He nodded.

"I will sleep on this side," he said. "If you don't mind."

She looked from him to the bed to the door and back, and then smiled. "Go ahead."

He waited for her to crawl under the blankets and make herself comfortable facing the wall with her back to him. Then he swung his legs onto the bed and rolled onto his side to face the door.

"Good night," Vanessa whispered.

"Good night."

He could feel the warmth of her behind him under the blanket. He'd never shared a bed with anyone before, not even when Rin had nightmares. There was a strange comfort in it. It would be more of a comfort if he could take her into his arms, but… he couldn't. He wasn't sure where that thought had come from – No, he did know. He just couldn't allow it. That would open the door to complications he didn't want to deal with. Sesshoumaru sighed and closed his eyes. He would have to get used to it if they planned on staying in any more inns down the road.

It seemed he'd just gotten to sleep, when suddenly pale, predawn light was filtering through the window into his face. He'd rolled onto his back in the night, but it was the warmth against his left side that caught him off guard. He looked down the line of his nose and was surprised to find Vanessa tucked into his side, head pillowed on his shoulder and one hand resting on his chest.

Sesshoumaru smiled. She wouldn't see it, but a small gesture of acceptance like that, even if she was asleep – especially if she was asleep, for he knew it was her subconscious, her hidden thoughts trying to come through – was what made him care so much about her. He knew it would only cause greater problems in the end, but at the moment, he was too content to care. Without even thinking, he covered her hand with his and closed his eyes for another hour or two of sleep.

He didn't, of course. Sleep, that is. He was all too aware of her nearness, the softness of her skin, the strength about her that he wasn't used to seeing in mortal women. He felt the steady rise and fall of her chest against his side, and each breath was a soft puff of air against his hand. Her heart beat a rhythm that mingled with his own in his ears, and as he watched her sleep, he studied her, committed every detail to memory, so that when she stepped back out of his life, he would have something of this strange, beautiful creature to hold onto. He _wanted_ to remember her. He wanted to remember the way her blue-violet eyes danced when she looked at him, the way she sometimes smiled for no apparent reason, the way those same lips parted just slightly when she slept, and he realized…

He wanted to kiss her.

And that thought terrified him right down to the very depths of his being. He couldn't – he _wouldn't_ put himself out there like that again. _Especially_ for someone he couldn't keep, someone who would vanish from his life like mist under the morning sun. He wouldn't… It had to stop. Now. Reluctantly, he gently rolled her back onto her side and retreated to the relative safety of his half of the bed. Immediately he felt her absence, and she was only inches away. How was he going to survive the next few weeks – months? – without the buffer of her friendship with Shizu? How could he maintain the distance he needed without hurting her?

Soon he heard her heart rate increasing as she came to the surface of consciousness. "You're warm," she mumbled, halfway between sleep and wakefulness.

"Am I?" Sesshoumaru breathed. Before she could turn back to him and ruin his resolve, he rolled off the bed and onto his feet. "I am going outside. I… need some fresh air. Gather your things, we will leave as soon as you have had something to eat."

She blinked up at him and smiled. "All right." She looked much better today, healthier. Color had returned to her cheeks and her grief over Shizu and Kaminari didn't seem to be crushing her anymore. How? What had changed? He refused to believe it had anything to do with him. She was affectionate. She always had been. It meant _nothing._

He took his cloak from the peg by the door and left the room, sweeping down the stairs and out the door, leaving a wave of turned heads in his wake. He needed to move, to run, to _fight_ something, but there was nothing, still no tingle of youki against his senses, and killing a wild animal wouldn't be nearly satisfying enough. Sparring with humans was out of the question. For one, they would discover he wasn't like them, and two, he could too easily kill them. Besides, how would he convey that he wanted only to spar and not actually fight? He had to settle for running.

Sesshoumaru melted into the woods with all the skill of a panther, and when he was certain there was no one around, he sped off through the trees, stirring up a cloud of fallen leaves in his wake. It felt good. He'd been neglecting his daily exercises, and his defense training with Vanessa for that matter. On that, he was conflicted now. He wanted her to be able to defend herself, but it meant getting close to her physically, and it meant showing her he cared enough to teach her. It didn't matter that he was well beyond the point of simple concern for her wellbeing. He wouldn't be there in that strange land if he didn't care about her to some degree.

Just when his breathing started to strain, Sesshoumaru slowed to a stop and stretched. He didn't want to spend all of his energy, just enough that he wasn't wound tight as a spring. By the odor wafting from the town, he knew he wasn't far and it would take only a few minutes to go back by a more direct route than the wide circles he had just run. He would start Vanessa's lessons on self-defense again, he decided. He could do that much.

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, and nearly choking on the human odors emanating from the town, Sesshoumaru started back toward the inn. He'd overcome worse obstacles. Vanessa was just another pretty face… and an amazingly warm heart. _Stop it!_ he snarled to himself.

Diners looked up as he re-entered, but he paid no attention to them. Instead he stole quietly up the stairs and listened at their door. Vanessa was humming softly to herself, and it sounded like she was packing. He opened the door a crack and peered inside. When her back was to him, he slipped in and grabbed her by the throat, pulling her roughly against his chest. When she took a breath to scream, he moved his hand and silenced her, more gently this time. "Had it not been me, what would you have done?" he asked in a low voice into her ear and released her.

Vanessa spun away and faced him, trembling as she put a hand to her throat. "Sesshoumaru! You scared the crap out of me!"

He blinked. He'd never heard quite that turn of phrase before, but it didn't matter. He raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"I-I don't know. Call for help, I guess."

He cocked his head. "With a hand over your mouth to silence your screams? I have been lax in your training, but we will resume again. Today."

"M-my training?"

Sesshoumaru stepped toward her and winced inwardly when she took a half step back, but he reached out to grasp her sleeve. Her _kaiken_, the slender blade he had given her was tucked inside, just as it should be.

"This blade is useless if you do not think to use it," he admonished. He had caught her off guard, but that was the point. Attackers wouldn't warn a victim before they struck. "Up until now we have had three sets of eyes watching out for you. I only want to see that you are protected," he said gently. "I don't trust these humans any more than I do those in my own land."

She nodded. "I know. I should have remembered. I guess I got used to the idea of you always being here to protect me. I'll do better," she said firmly.

"Come then. Why don't we see what this place has to offer for breakfast."

Vanessa nodded and grinned as she picked up her bag and stepped out into the hall. Sesshoumaru followed, but not before scanning the room quickly to see that they had everything. Downstairs, a sort of grain porridge bubbled over the fire. It was bland and rather tasteless, but Sesshoumaru forced it down. He didn't know how far they would have to stretch the food they brought with them. Andrei came up to them and offered each of them a cup of fresh milk. Sesshoumaru nodded his thanks.

"Oh, Andrei," Vanessa said suddenly and began digging in her pack. "I want to see if he knows where we can get our hands on some horses," she said to Sesshoumaru. "That's all right, isn't it? I just figured it would get us to where we're going quicker."

"Yes… of course. Whatever you need."

She found her paper and pen and drew a crude horse with a stack of what looked like coins beside it. Andrei thought for a minute and then nodded, beckoning them to follow.

"How much does a night at an inn cost?" she asked quietly.

"Here? I don't know."

"So how do we settle the bill?"

Sesshoumaru watched Andrei's back as he wove around tables and chairs to the kitchen. "How well do you trust him?"

"I don't get the feeling he'd cheat us, if that's what you mean. He seems like a good man."

He nodded. "Here." She turned and he handed her a small pouch filled with coins of varying weights and metals. It wasn't all of the money he'd brought along; he wasn't so foolish as to keep it all in one place – or to flaunt it, but it was enough.

"How much would a room cost in Japan?" She poured a few coins out into her palm and waited for Sesshoumaru to separate out the appropriate amount then she added a few more for good measure.

They caught up to Andrei at a bar lined with stools, behind which, casks and barrels covered the wall, and a robust woman in an apron wiped mugs with a cloth. His wife? Andrei nodded over his shoulder at them and said a few words to the woman.

"Andrei," Vanessa said, smiling in apology for her intrusion, and then held out her hand, palm up. He peered at the coins curiously and examined a few, testing their weight and the feel of the metal. Finally, he selected a silver piece and a few coppers. Sesshoumaru nodded in approval. It was fair, and now he knew how much to expect to pay for a night indoors. Of course the inns in the larger cities Vanessa spoke of would cost more, but he could get a feel for that as they went. Andrei then smiled, closed Vanessa's fist around the rest and beckoned them on through the kitchen to the back door.

He led them between two rows of houses to a farmhouse at the end with a fenced paddock. The innkeeper called to someone in the stable and motioned them to wait. Another man came out to greet them, and Andrei pulled him aside. Glances were cast their way, but Sesshoumaru was growing used to it.

Finally the pair split, the newcomer heading off in the direction of the stable and Andrei coming back to them. He nodded in satisfaction and gestured back toward the stable. It wasn't long before the other man appeared again leading two saddled horses. They looked sound from a distance, but Sesshoumaru would check them over himself to be sure.

"Thank you, Andrei. For everything," Vanessa said sincerely. He seemed to understand her meaning, if not her words and clasped her hand in both of his, kissed her fingers and then patted her cheek. It was purely paternal, and yet… Sesshoumaru's blood was boiling. It didn't make sense. He had no right to be possessive, but that night… sleeping beside her, feeling her next to him… It couldn't happen again if it was going to keep invading his mind this way. Suppressing a snarl, he was relieved when the horses were led up to them and stretched out his hand to feel their legs.

A sharp intake of breath told him he'd been careless. Oops. Well, there was no use hiding his claws now. He checked the horse's teeth to see that it was young enough for the job, and moved on satisfied to the next one. They were both good, but it did little to improve his mood. "Vanessa," he said, holding his hand out for his coin pouch.

"Oh, right." She hurried over to him and held it out to him. Sesshoumaru thought for a moment about the worth of horses at home, and then looked back at the stable. The pair was well bred… Finally, he fished a coin out of the pouch in Vanessa's hands, and, holding it between two fingers, indicated both horses and held it out to Andrei.

The innkeeper tried peering into his hood as he reached for the payment, but Sesshoumaru pulled his hand back and stepped away. He didn't need this. He didn't _need_ their horses. They might even travel faster if he flew, but that would make his goal of keeping his distance rather… unattainable. In the end, Vanessa took the coin from him and held it out to Andrei. When he finally took the coin, his eyes widened in surprise. Too much? It didn't really matter; he just wanted to leave. Andrei gave the coin an experimental bite to see if it was real and hurried over to the stable owner and whispered something in his ear that made him hurry off in the direction of the barn. Assuming the transaction was complete, Sesshoumaru started loading bags behind saddles.

"Which one would you like?" he asked Vanessa. She grinned and rubbed the nose of the chestnut-colored mare.

"This one."

"Very well." He finished securing their bags and took the reins of the darker mare.

"Eh… Vanessa," Andrei called as the other man came jogging up to them with a sack over his shoulder.

"What's that?" Vanessa asked, stepping up beside Sesshoumaru.

"I don't know."

Andrei took the sack and hefted it up onto Vanessa's horse, securing it behind her saddle with her bag and stepped away with a smile. "Grain? Thank you!" she said and bowed out of habit, as she'd learned in Japan. Andrei looked a little puzzled, but smiled when Sesshoumaru nodded his thanks as well.

"We should go."

"Bye!" Vanessa waved and climbed into the saddle. Sesshoumaru did the same and took a moment to get used to the different feel of it, and then turned them back toward the road. It _was_ nice to sleep with a roof over his head, but… getting away from the scent of all these humans would be even better.

They rode at a brisk pace in silence for a while, but Sesshoumaru knew it wouldn't last. Vanessa didn't have Shizu to talk to so it was only a matter of time before she tried to start a conversation. But she didn't. She glanced over at him from time to time, but for the moment anyway, seemed to accept the distance he put between them. She would surely want an explanation later. Did she remember cuddling up to him while she slept? By midday, he found it was he who couldn't tolerate the silence. He wasn't used to her not telling him what she was thinking.

"Stop," he said finally. "We will rest the horses here for a short while." A stream was running parallel to the road and smelled clean enough so he refilled their water skins and led the horses to it. They drank appreciatively and munched on some tall grass growing on the bank.

"Is everything all right?" Vanessa asked uncertainly.

"Yes, of course," he responded, surprised he hadn't noticed her approaching.

"Are you sure?" she took a step closer and stopped. "Earlier you seemed… angry. I don't want you to think… well I know horses are expensive, and I guess we didn't really need them."

"That's not it," he interrupted. "I would have bought a pair anyway, and these are as good as any we would have found later."

"So why…"

"It is nothing you need to worry about," he snapped

It was impossible. If she'd been any other human, any other female at all, he wouldn't have had to feel how his words stung her. He could easily break their link, but he had a feeling that it would hurt her even more, and while he wouldn't have to actually feel what she did then, he would have to see it in her face.

"I was only thinking," he told her, closing the distance between them. "I was not angry with you." He reached out and touched her sleeve. "We have some time. Would you like to review some of the moves I taught you?"

Vanessa brightened.

"We will start with how I caught you this morning." She nodded and relaxed as he took hold of her again. "Remember that most attackers will have two hands for you to compete with. One might cover your mouth, while the other holds a knife to your throat. Which is more important?"

"The knife can do more damage… but a hand on my face has more control on my movement…"

"Very good."

He showed her again how to force the knife from his hand and several methods of breaking out of restraining holds. He had her repeat them a few times, and when an hour was up he stepped back and nodded approvingly. "You have not forgotten. You only need to know to use what you have learned. Let us be on our way."

The horses had wandered down the stream a bit, but they weren't hard to catch. They were trained for travel and seemed to know that their rest was over.

"Ready," Vanessa said from astride her horse.

Sesshoumaru nodded and turned them back to the road.

"They need names," she said suddenly.

"Who?"

"Well, the horses of course. They're ours now so it's only right that we should give them names."

"Hm."

He wasn't feeling overly creative. They were just horses.

"I'm going to name mine… Peanut."

_Peanut… _He looked at her askance. "What do you think this one should be called then?"

"That one would have to be Cracker Jack," she said with a girlish giggle and then started humming a peculiar tune. "I don't care if I never get back."

"What?" Sesshoumaru said, looking at her sharply. If he'd been human, he wouldn't have caught it; it was barely a whisper, but had he heard her right? On the one hand, all of this would have been for nothing. On the other… he might keep her.

"What?" Vanessa repeated, looking up as if startled that he'd heard her. "I-it's part of the song," she said hastily. "'Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks. I don't care if I never get back.i' It's about… about a person who doesn't want to leave a baseball game… a-a sporting event. That's all," she finished quietly.

She was telling the truth, and yet there was something else… "Your people are very strange," he said after a moment.

"Hey!"

Sesshoumaru only smirked to hide his inner turmoil. When she grinned, it seemed that everything was back to normal. On the surface.

"So. Peanut and Cracker Jack, are they? Tell me… What is a Cracker Jack?"

VvVvVvVvVvVvV

In the days following their split with Shizu and Kaminari, Vanessa wasn't sure what to do about Sesshoumaru. He was acting strangely, but he evaded all of her questions about why. Ever since their stay at the inn, one minute he was as sweet and thoughtful as ever, and the next he was distant and spoke only when absolutely necessary. Like always, he locked down his emotions so she could only grasp the faintest trace. She couldn't tell what he was feeling, much less what he was thinking. It was aggravating… and worrisome. Had she done something wrong? What could she do to make it right?

She was so wrapped up in her own worries that she didn't notice Sesshoumaru pull up to a stop, not until he called her name sharply.

"What?" she looked up, startled, and reined in Peanut, turning her around toward Sesshoumaru. "What's wrong?"

He nodded down the road, constantly testing the air for some scent she could never hope to pick up.

"Who are they?" she asked when she saw the group coming their way. They gave her an uneasy feeling. Seven men, two on horseback and the rest afoot, were walking casually toward them, but it was the assortment of weapons they carried that lent them an air of menace.

"I don't know, but I don't like them. Stay where you are." He dismounted and walked forward about fifteen yards and stopped.

He stood casually to the side of the road and looked as if he were waiting to see if they would pass him by. Vanessa took a cue and grabbed up Cracker Jack's reins, moving the rest of them to the side as well. Sesshoumaru's cloak whipped back in a sudden breeze, and whether he meant to expose himself and his weapons, she couldn't say, but the warning seemed to ooze off of him: Stay away.

Maybe it was the horses, or their clothes, or simply because Sesshoumaru's casual defensive stance challenged the men, but suddenly the pair of travelers became prey. They thought they could get something from them. They were wrong. They had no idea what sort of predator they were stalking. Later, Vanessa would wonder what might have happened if they'd just kept walking and hadn't stopped to let them pass.

The men didn't back off. They formed a loose semi-circle around Sesshoumaru with the two horsemen eyeing Vanessa greedily. She felt incredibly exposed, as though they could see through all the layers of her clothing.

When the others raised their weapons threateningly, it was clear that they were just what they appeared. Bandits. Sesshoumaru glanced back at her only briefly, and as he turned back to his opponents, he did something wholly unexpected. He smiled. On the surface it seemed genuine, even friendly, but for some reason it chilled her to her bones. _That_ smile meant death. He really did live for battle. In a second that seemed to stretch on for eternity, she thought back on the journey so far. He'd always held himself back when it came to a fight, she realized. The closest he came to anything truly offensive was a short blast at that dragon. These men didn't stand a chance. Should she stop him? All it would earn her was a mugging – or worse, but those men didn't know what they were getting themselves into.

Sesshoumaru's hand hovered for an instant over the pommel of one of his swords, Tokijin? Would he draw a demon sword on ordinary humans? But the moment passed, and he smirked, dropping into a crouch, sweeping his cloak behind him and out of the way. The men on foot circled him, laughing and jeering. She wished they'd stop. The two on horseback kept their distance and watched. Sesshoumaru waited until one charged him, almost as if he were actually giving them a chance, but it was over quickly. A blow to the jaw brought a sharp crack and sent the man sprawling into an unconscious heap on the road. After that, the others swarmed him, but unlike them, he had the speed and grace of a cat. His inhuman abilities had him darting in and out between them, knocking them out of the fight one by one. It wasn't even a challenge.

The last bandit waved a wickedly curved knife about wildly, in a desperate attempt to hold Sesshoumaru off, and it was as he was grappling with him, that the horsemen made their move. Sesshoumaru saw them and tried to block their path, but his opponent lashed out with the knife, making him give a startled hiss of pain as red blossomed on his white sleeve. A retaliatory swipe of his claws finished him, but Vanessa didn't have time to recoil at the blood and entrails spilling out onto the road. The riders were coming after _her._

She dropped Cracker Jack's reins and wheeled Peanut in the opposite direction, digging in her heels and urging the startled mare faster, faster, but the other two had a head start. If only Shizu were there, they could take off into the sky. Sesshoumaru would follow and they wouldn't have any more blood on their hands. If only…

They were bearing down on her too quickly! One reached for the reins, and she hit him, but Peanut wasn't Shizu. She wouldn't compensate to keep her in the saddle, and when the other reached over and grabbed the back of her collar – and a fistfull of hair – it was all she could do not to fall and get trampled.

With her distracted, the first succeeded in securing the reins and control of her horse, while the other yanked and hauled her roughly over his lap. She kicked and scratched – little good it did against her captor's leather clothing – but none of Sesshoumaru's training was designed for effectiveness in this situation. After she elbowed him in the groin, a sharp blow to her head made stars break out in her vision and she couldn't think straight. She hung helplessly across his lap as he pounded down the road to whatever fate he had in store for her. Where was Sesshoumaru? Sesshoumaru…

_Wait a minute._

She tried to clear her head, but it was throbbing in time with her heart and made worse by the pounding of hooves on the road. Still, she reached into her sleeve and pressed the catch on her hidden blade. As she drew it, she gathered all the strength she could muster in her awkward position, and drove it into his calf.

He bellowed in agony, but in the next instant, a gurgling sound replaced his yells. And then he just disappeared from beneath her. Hearing a sickening crunch, Vanessa looked back to see his body fall to the dirt road as blood-stained, white silk pants replaced him in the saddle, blocking her view. Sesshoumaru reined the horse in sharply and leapt from its back, catching Vanessa as she slid painfully back off the saddle.

She stumbled away from him with her arms around her middle. Her ribs ached. As the adrenaline fled her system the weight of the attack fell on her like a crushing blow. Looking back the way she came, she saw the heap of limbs in a dark, spreading stain in the dirt… Behind that was a trail of bodies, broken and bleeding like the first.

The ground started shaking so badly she could hardly stand. It took a moment to realize that _she_ was shaking. What happened? Slowly she turned back to Sesshoumaru. The gold of his eyes was still rimmed in crimson. He took a step forward, hand outstretched toward her. Without a conscious thought, she matched his advance with a step backward. Hurt flitted across his face before he schooled his features into a calm mask and dropped his hand.

She barely registered it. The last few minutes kept replaying over and over in her mind. Bandits? They weren't supposed to be attacked by bandits… _She_ wasn't supposed to be kidnapped, taken who knows where for them to –

A whooshing sound thundered in her ears like wind pumping in and out of a bellows. And then, curiously, it just stopped. Sesshoumaru eyed her warily, his brows drawing together in concern.

"Vanessa?"

He took a hesitant step toward her. Vanessa was feeling a little lightheaded, like she wasn't getting enough air. She couldn't breathe.

"Vanessa… Breathe. Everything is all right," he said slowly, as if trying not to frighten her.

_Breathe?_ He wasn't making any sense. Of course she was –

Dark spots broke out across her vision.

"Vanessa!" Sesshoumaru said sharply, closing the distance between them and grasping her shoulder.

She couldn't do anything, only stare wide-eyed back at him, as if she'd lost all control. She could only think and relive… She tried to fill her lungs, but she couldn't make them function.

Sesshoumaru's eyes took on a panicked gleam, and he shook her once to snap her out of it and then drew her into his chest. "It's all right, love," he said more gently. "You are safe. There is no danger anymore. Trust me," he pleaded.

_Safe?_

With a painful gasp, Vanessa sucked in a lungful of air and collapsed against him. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?" he asked frantically as his hand skimmed over her, looking for injuries. The look in his eyes struck her heart. He was afraid. Or maybe she imagined it. He wouldn't make himself vulnerable to her that way. He wouldn't allow her to see fear, would he?

"I dropped my knife," she said dazedly. No that wasn't right. _She_ didn't drop her blade. She left it in her captor's leg. _Sesshoumaru_ dropped her knife. She told him so.

"We can get it back. Are _you_ hurt? Did he touch you?" he asked savagely.

"No… Yes… My head. My head hurts. And my stomach." Suddenly Vanessa turned away from him and retched into the grass on the side of the road. It all caught up to her then and she fell to her knees as her legs gave out beneath her. Much to her surprise, Sesshoumaru held her hair back until she was finished. "Are they gone?" she whispered.

"Yes. I should have killed them all and been done with it," he said bitterly. "But I wanted to spare them for you." He wasn't accusing, only stating a fact, she realized.

"They aren't dead?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Four of the five footmen will live. The fifth and the two riders are dead."

"I stabbed one," Vanessa said, feeling strangely proud and sick at the same time. She hadn't failed his training this time, but then again, she'd never hurt anyone that way before, not with the intent to do real damage, but just when she thought she was going to lose her stomach again, Sesshoumaru's lips curved into a small smile – not the death smile. This one was different. This one was for her. And it was genuine and a little hesitant. She tried to remember whether she'd ever seen him truly smile before.

"Yes you did," he said, sounding like a proud teacher of a student who'd gone far beyond his expectations. "He didn't hear me coming over all the noise he was making because of it." Vanessa doubted he would have heard him coming anyway. He was silent as a shadow when he wanted to be. Sometimes she thought the gravel crunched under his boots only because he willed it. "Vanessa, I…" He paused, his brow furrowed as he fought with himself. Suddenly she was crushed between one strong arm and hard armor, but she clung to him just as tightly. Her rock, her guardian had come through for her again. What would she ever do without him? "Are you sure you are all right?" he whispered.

She nodded into his shoulder. "But I smell like vomit," she muttered, trying not to breathe on him.

"It doesn't matter." He pulled back just far enough to look into her face and brush blond tendrils out of her eyes. "You are safe."

Rivulets of red still ran down his arm, and she watched his face form an annoyed mask as his eyes flicked from his hand to her forehead, but at the moment, she didn't care about a little blood smeared on her face. "Sesshoumaru," she whimpered. "You're bleeding!"

He looked down at his arm and shrugged. "It isn't serious."

Vanessa was already pushing his sleeve up for a look. "It's deep."

"It is healing," he countered adamantly, daring her tell him he needed mending. She scowled at him.

"At least let me clean and wrap it."

The familiar fight with his pride and his strange aversion to medical attention brought everything back to normality. As much as he denied it, he needed someone to take care of him, much like he took care of her.

"Honestly, how do you get by on your own? If you never let anyone take care of you, what kind of life is that? What if every time I was in trouble I said, 'No, leave me alone. I don't need your help.'"

"I would respect your wishes."

"Even though you _knew_ I could be worse off if you didn't step in? Would you really?"

He didn't answer.

"It's just… I care about you," she said, keeping her eyes on her hands and not his face. "And you do so much for me. When I see there's something I can actually do for you, I want to do it. Can you understand that?"

She tied off the bandage and sat back on her heels next to him.

"I was raised to be strong and independent," he said, still refusing to look at her. "That is the world I come from. Weakness is not an option. This," he said indicating the bandage. "And this," his missing arm, "remind me that I am not everything I ought to be. I don't like feeling dependent."

"You can accept help and not be dependent."

"And… there is my pride, as you have so often mentioned," he added with a wry smile, and looked over his shoulder at the destruction he'd reaped. "Stay here."

Vanessa didn't do as he asked; she followed closely behind him as he started for the body crumpled in the dirt. "Vanessa," he said sternly. "You shouldn't see this."

"I'll have to come through here anyway. Don't leave me behind?"

He studied her face for a moment and finally nodded. "Just… stay back." He moved the body to the side of the road and arranged it in a more natural position, and then fished in the corpse's pockets, coming up with a small pouch. It jingled when he shook it.

"You're taking money from a dead man?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "He has no more use for it. And it would be helpful to have some local currency."

"Just don't make this a habit when you need to make an exchange," she muttered.

"I heard that." He moved across the road to the other rider's body, which didn't seem to have anything useful for them so it was left in the grass as well. Next up were their horses.

"What will we do with them?"

"Set them loose, I suppose. Someone will find them. If not, they can take care of themselves."

He checked their bags, took a few small items and unsaddled them. With a swat on their rumps, they took off across the field.

"Are you sure we should just leave the… the bodies here?"

"You think we should take them with us?" he countered with a note of sarcasm. Vanessa never thought she'd be talking so casually about what to do with bodies that she'd had a hand in killing. She kept telling herself that it was self-defense, but it made her stomach turn every time she thought of them. "I will go retrieve our own horses, and then we will be on our way. Put this behind you, Vanessa. There was nothing you could do."

She nodded mutely and watched him fly off after Peanut and Cracker Jack. Put it behind her… right. As if it were that easy. Sesshoumaru obviously had no qualms about killing a few humans, but she couldn't say the same for herself, regardless of the situation.

"I don't know about this…" she said after he'd returned. "Shouldn't we tell someone what happened?"

Sesshoumaru looked back at the bodies. "They will be found and I would rather not be here when they are."

One of the incapacitated bandits groaned, and Sesshoumaru pulled his sword, ready to strike.

"No, don't!" Vanessa cried, grabbing his sleeve. "Please. Let's just go."

He looked down at her, and then his lip curled back as he looked back at the unconscious men. Finally he nodded and silently climbed into Cracker Jack's saddle. He waited just long enough for Vanessa to mount up and then took off across the field away from the road. They entered the stream and ran parallel to the road for a while before finally crossing to the other side and riding farther cross-country. He wasn't taking any chances of encountering other people, and it didn't look like staying in an inn was a possibility for some time to come. That was fine. Other than the one they had just left, they hadn't stayed in an inn yet, so there was no reason to get used to the comfort. She just wished she could understand what went through his head sometimes.

They rode long and hard on an erratic path to try and throw off any possible pursuers. Vanessa didn't think anyone would follow them if the men were known outlaws, but she could appreciate Sesshoumaru's caution.

As the afternoon progressed, Vanessa was able to get over the worst of the raw fear she'd felt in the attack. They were riding across a rocky field with no obvious destination that she could see, but he had a better sense of their surroundings than she did. During this time, however, she found the peace of mind to really process what had happened.

That fight was something completely different than any she'd witnessed so far. Mitsue was supposed to be a friend, or a long lost betrayer-lover at the very least. And she was youkai. The men on the Great Wall were human, but they were soldiers. Sesshoumaru had spared them because he was the one trespassing. They were innocent and not worth the kill apparently. Naraku… she shuddered. The details on that one were still vague, but he was youakai. And evil. He was bent on destruction just for the sake of ruining the lives of those around him. They had thrown everything they had at him and it still wasn't enough.

Somehow the thought of Sesshoumaru battling other youkai was easier to handle than his fighting humans. Was that fair of her? He was so much stronger than they were, it hardly seemed right. There was also the fact that he wasn't opposed to killing them. He wouldn't think twice about it if she weren't there. He _liked_ to fight. The smile he'd worn had been pure blood lust. Those bandits had no idea what they were provoking. But did that make him evil too? That he would willingly and gladly kill creatures so much weaker than he was?

On the other hand, they had attacked first. He gave them the chance to move on, but when they didn't, he was only defending himself – and her. Afterward he had said that his intention was never to kill them; he knew how much it would upset her. He already sacrificed so much for her.

Vanessa jerked on the reigns suddenly and pulled Peanut up sharply.

"What did you call me?" she asked quietly.

Sesshoumaru heard easily and slowed, turning to give her an uncertain look. "I have not said anything."

She shook her head. "Not now, back on the road. After – When I was freaking out."

He paused and then his eyes tightened for the barest moment before he turned. "I called you by your name. What else would I have said?"

Sesshoumaru nudged Cracker Jack forward, forcing Vanessa to catch up if she wanted to continue the conversation.

"But I remember –"

"You were in shock. Your mind might have told you any number of things to protect itself."

Of course he was right. Why shouldn't he be? She must have heard wrong before. She didn't feel the uncomfortable twinge in her stomach like she did when he lied through their bond. Still, a part of her wished the memory were true.

They rode in silence a few moments more before he spoke again, eyes straight ahead but with a voice filled with such conviction it was difficult to doubt him.

"I will protect you, Vanessa. Whatever it takes to see you safely home, I will protect you."

"Thank you." _Home._ She wasn't sure anymore which home she really wanted.

By the time they stopped for the night, she was sore in ways she'd forgotten since the first time she'd ridden a horse, and not for the first time wished that Shizu were still with them. Not only would she have someone to talk to, but she realized how much Shizu actually did to keep her in the saddle. Mentally and physically she was exhausted… It was all she could do not to just flop down in the grass and sleep until morning.

Sesshoumaru hardly spoke, but he also didn't leave her side for an instant. He didn't take his usual prowl around the camp that night, which led her to believe that he'd chosen this place specifically. Maybe he heard or smelled something that she couldn't. Vanessa did draw the line when she went to wash. The blood and sweat and dust from the road were making her skin crawl. What she really wanted was a hot shower, but all there was for her was a cold creek. She knew he wasn't standing so close just to sneak a peak, but it didn't make it any easier to strip down in the relatively unsheltered area he'd chosen.

"Sesshoumaru, please," she pleaded softly. "I feel disgusting. Just give me a few minutes. I'll be quick."

He gave her a hard look and finally stalked off into the darkness. She could practically feel him circling. She hadn't meant to, but she had worried him. Again.

Oh well. She sighed, and thought of the look in his eyes when he caught up with her earlier. She couldn't have imagined it. He was truly afraid for her so she decided to cut him some slack. He'd never reacted well to realizing he was worried about her, and this time was no different. She would give him some time to collect himself and everything would be back to normal. Already the bodies they left behind seemed like a bad dream, as if they weren't real. Part of her thought that she should be more distraught over the ordeal, but she was strangely calm about it now. She looked down at the ribbon tied around her wrist. Could she be feeling his calmness and using it for herself? There was so much they didn't know about the bond Kaede gave them.

Deciding she'd kept Sesshoumaru waiting long enough, Vanessa washed up in the creek and went back to him. He turned at the sound of her footsteps behind him. Every line was tense, as if he expected… well she didn't know what. They wouldn't have stayed there if they were in danger. Vanessa touched his elbow as she passed. "Is everything all right?"

His brow furrowed, but he followed her silently back to camp, and sat brooding by the fire for a long time afterward. Eventually he looked up uncertainly. "Are you very upset about what happened? About my actions?"

"No. Not anymore."

"But you were."

Something told her she had to tread carefully. She couldn't have him thinking she was ungrateful, she wasn't. Any number of horrible things could have happened to her if he weren't there to come to her rescue, but she came from a different time. Things were just done differently.

Vanessa nodded.

"They attacked. They took you from your horse. What would you have me do otherwise?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "You were defending me. I know it wasn't just some killing rampage. That's not you. I guess it was just a shock. I never hurt anyone on purpose like that before."

Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Where I come from… In my time, there are people to take care of the bad guys for us-"

"But you are not in your time."

"I know, and I'm glad you're here to watch out for me. I do appreciate everything you've done. Really. There's just a lot about this time I'm still getting used to."

He nodded again.

"We're okay," Vanessa assured him. "I wouldn't have you as anything other than what you are."

He gave her a peculiar look and then that little smile crept briefly onto his face. That small expression changed his whole appearance from the hard warrior she knew to the caring man she was getting to know. She couldn't help smiling in return.

"Early start in the morning?" she asked, assuming he wanted to continue putting distance between them and anyone who might have known the bandits. He nodded.

Vanessa stretched the kinks from her limbs and pulled her blanket over her as she lay down for the night. "Then good night, Sesshoumaru."

"Sleep well," he said softly.

That night, Vanessa dreamt of grasping hands. Men chased her and tore at her clothing, and when she looked back, they were bleeding from parallel gashes everywhere. Cuts that could only have come from claws…

She awoke with a gasp and sat bolt upright. There was a hand on her shoulder. With a frightened whimper, Vanessa tried to push it away, to get away from its grasp, but an arm like corded steel wrapped around her, holding her close against a similarly hard chest.

"Shh," Sesshoumaru hushed next to her ear. "It is I." He rocked her gently, and she realized then that he'd pulled her into his lap, holding her like he would a child. As the dream faded, she clutched the stiff edge of his kimono. "It was only a dream," he soothed.

Vanessa shuddered as a last memory flitted through her mind, and laid her head on his shoulder. "Maybe I'm not as okay with what happened as I thought," she muttered.

"Don't worry," he said quietly, still rocking slowly with his cheek on top of her head. "I think I have always known that your time was very different from mine. Since we started this journey, I have always felt I ought to spare humans that I wouldn't have thought twice about eliminating if you weren't here, but when they took you, I could not take that chance. They had to die."

"I-I know."

"Are you all right now?" he asked softly.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing, Vanessa," he said. "It is unnecessary."

"Sor- Okay." She tried to get up and leave him alone, thinking he must want to get back to his night rather than hold back the stupid fears of a human girl, but he held fast. His grip on her was gentle but firm, and after the barest instant his arm loosened, giving her the chance to go back to her own bedroll.

Vanessa hesitated. He was warm, and she felt so secure in his embrace, but he was only humoring her. There was no way his actions were based on anything other than his promise to protect her. Reluctantly she hauled herself off his lap, but before she could take a step toward her bedroll, Sesshoumaru grasped her wrist and cocked his head as he looked up at her. Then without a word, he let go. Puzzled, Vanessa lay down again and pulled her knees up to her chin under her blanket. Much to her surprise, Sesshoumaru settled himself next to her. He was just far enough that they didn't touch, but he watched her with his head propped up on his fist.

"Go to sleep," he said. "I am here."

The thought that he would guard her even from her dreams was amazingly comforting. Vanessa smiled and obediently closed her eyes. She could feel the warmth radiating off of him, and it wasn't long before she was asleep again, this time without dreams.

VvVvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru didn't sleep much that night. He kept thinking back to their stay at the inn and the feel of her nestled into his side, but he was careful not to let that happen again. It couldn't. He wouldn't let it. But having her there beside him… The way her scent filled his head every time he closed his eyes… What little sleep he did allow himself, it was pleasant…

Over the next few weeks, Vanessa and Sesshoumaru progressed across Europe. Unfortunately, the more time he spent with her since the incident with the bandits, the harder he found it to keep his distance. They seemed to gravitate toward each other unconsciously and he simply didn't want to keep up pretenses. More than once he'd awoken to find that they had breached few feet he set between them when they settled for the night. Always reluctantly, he gently moved her away again.

On this morning, however, he wasn't so lucky…

A sharp intake of air woke him. Immediately he froze, heart thudding in his chest. He'd been caught. Sometime in the night she had nestled into his chest. It was only natural that he should put his arm around her and hold her close, wasn't it? He didn't want to let her go, but he didn't dare hold her if she didn't want it. She could react badly no matter what he did. He couldn't win.

"Well this is new," Vanessa said, and he looked down to find her smiling uncertainly at him.

Thinking quickly, he tucked the blanket more securely around them. "It was cold last night." It was a lame excuse.

"Oh." With a yawn, she snuggled closer and closed her eyes again. "Five more minutes?" Her arms were trapped between their bodies, but one finger hooked into the collar of his kimono. She wasn't letting him go either.

i Reference to _Take Me Out to the Ballgame _(1927)_,_ lyrics by Jack Norworth, music by Albert von Tilzer.

A/N: Seriously… Everything was conspiring against me getting this posted. The chapter has been more or less complete for about 5 months now, but… then there was graduation, and job interviews, and moving, and leaving my laptop power cord in Minnesota as I'm flying back to Connecticut, and killing my battery thinking "oh, I'll just turn it on long enough to copy the file over to my PC – and then getting distracted, and then being away from my apartment for a week… Well it's up now.

I haven't been idle these past months either. I've got notebooks filled with ideas and story lines I want to see fleshed out. I write while I'm in bed typically, and a notebook is easier to manage than a laptop sometimes – and if I fall asleep, a notebook is also much more durable than my computer. I've still got a stack that I need to type up from my stay in Germany. The downside to letting my thoughts flow out of my pen is I've got sometimes 3 scenarios for the same situation and I have to pick one so then I need to wait until the story progresses to that point to decide which is the best fit. It's also impossibly distracting at work when an idea pops itself into my head and needs to run its course.

P.S. Check out my deviantart page to see my vision of Vanessa earthtome001dotdeviantartdotcom. I finally got around to drawing her as something non-cartoonish. Actually, I finally got a solid enough image of her in my head to be able to put her on paper. I know. Shame on me. So… if she ruins your own picture of the girl… too bad XD


	26. Safety

Into the East

Chapter seventeen: Safety

Posted: 28 June 2009

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

A/N: I think I've done all the tweaking I can to this one. It was overly difficult to complete for some reason. Enjoy!!

_The air is balmy as Vanessa surveys the crowd. Evidence of modern industry is everywhere from the factories to the high-rise office buildings lining the streets. Some men wear casual kimono as they go about their business, while others wear three-piece suits. They are old-fashioned to her eyes, but Western influence has taken its hold despite Japan's resistance to join the rest of the world. She catches the buzz of busy murmurs. The news has reported the attack on the American naval base was a success. Was. It happened months ago, and still nothing from the Americans. Japan has tamed the dragon!_

_She hears the jumble of voices and wonders how they can think they've won so easily. Is one surprise attack enough to cow an entire nation into submission or would it only wake the dragon? She knows the truth. The America she knows wouldn't sit idly by when her military bases fell under attack. An uneasy feeling settles in the pit of her stomach. Something isn't right._

_Suddenly a man stands out from the rest. Her eye is drawn to him as if a spotlight showcased his presence. She stares. His hair is dark now, jet black like the people passing him on the street. His face is clear and unmarked, but somehow she knows. She can see it in his eyes. "Sesshoumaru," she whispers, but he doesn't hear her. He _can't_ hear her. It's a dream, she realizes, but the rules of the wakeful don't apply here. Vanessa watches Sesshoumaru, keeps pace with him as he walks down the road. She's in his head, too. She can see his thoughts as plainly as if they were pages in a book._

"_Tell him," a voice intrudes. Deep and masculine, it sounds familiar. "Save my son."_

_Tell him? Save him from what? What could possibly be a threat so great that a ghost from the past would ask that she of all people save him?_

_Sesshoumaru's eyes turn to the sky. He hears what the humans around him cannot, though even to his ears the sound is a faint hum. Three lonely bombers lumber across the sky, so high that they are hardly worth noticing by people on the street. In her time, she thinks, aside from their obvious formation, they could have been any jetliner carrying hundreds of passengers – from a distance anyway. The unease grows in the pit of her belly._

_Vanessa watches Sesshoumaru follow the aircraft through the sky with his eyes. He frowns. Unless his eyesight is failing him, those planes are not Japanese. A condescending snort escapes him. Naturally the Americans would retaliate after the devastating attack on her shipyard, but just three bombers? He scans the sky quickly, searching the space between the tails of those machines and the horizon, but sees no other aircraft. What could they do to match the handiwork of dozens of battleships carrying hundreds of fighter planes?_

_But hadn't Vanessa said that it was a fight with Japan that finally entered the United States in one of the great World Wars? Vanessa…_

_She watches his face as an old hurt briefly makes itself known, and wants to reach out and touch him. "I'm here," she wants to say. "I'll always be here."_

_He shakes off the memory and squints into the sky, swearing he just saw something drop from the belly of one of the huge flying machines, but they are so high up he can't be certain. Could it be that they are returning fire after all? Drop a few bombs in a show of sparks and fire as a prelude to the coming forces? Intriguing. It might be something he would do, but he got out of the business of battle ages ago. He isn't concerned, but makes a point to change his course and walk away from the coming fireworks. Anything they drop might be enough to ruffle his clothing, but he'd survive and play the part of the shell-shocked victim._

"_No!" Vanessa cries suddenly realizing when and where she is, but it is useless. She can't watch. And yet she can't look away! Helplessly she sees the explosion billowing into the sky. "Run!" she screams desperately. "Run! Get out of here!"_

_Sesshoumaru turns and sees the effects of the blast wave speeding toward him harder and faster than he had anticipated. What had the Americans brought upon his land? He raises an arm to shield his face from the coming winds and sees a column rising high into the sky out of the initial explosion, blocking out the sun. From a greater distance, he would have see that it resembled a mushroom…_

Screams woke her, and it took a moment to realize it wasn't the people in her dream. The image of Sesshoumaru's fleshless skeleton against the glare of the blast seared into her mind, blocking out anything else.

"Vanessa," said a voice above her, breaking through the horror.

Sesshoumaru.

Vanessa gasped a breath and sat bolt upright, right into his chest. He hesitated only a moment before holding her tightly to his body as she clung to him. She shuddered and gulped air, unable to speak yet. "It's all right," he murmured. "I am here. It was just a dream."

She shook her head, tears blurring her vision. "It was real," she whispered, her mouth dry. "I saw it."

Sesshoumaru pulled back a bit and cupped her cheek, wiping away her tears with his thumb. His skin was rosy and warm in the dim, flickering light of the fire. It was alive. _He_ was alive.

She closed her eyes and immediately regretted doing so as the gruesome images overwhelmed her. He'd just stood there as if nothing could happen to him while he died. It was an image she didn't think she'd ever forget. She wasn't supposed to apparently. Vanessa leaned forward again and hugged him fiercely.

"It is over now," he said. "Think of something else. The dream will fade."

She shook her head again. It wasn't over. It wouldn't be over for centuries. Didn't he understand? How could she make him see?

"Then tell me what you saw. Was it the bandits again?"

She trembled against him and again shook her head. She hadn't thought of them in days, and that encounter paled in comparison to her fear of this dream.

"Vanessa," he said softly, stoking her hair as he held her. "Tell me what to do. I don't know how to help you."

"I-I don't know. I just… It was…"

"All right. Be still." His tone was gentle, comforting, and warm. "Whatever you saw, you are safe now."

"No, you don't understand. You –"

"Hush now. Go back to sleep."

That was the last thing she wanted to do. If she went back to sleep, she'd only see it again and again until she told him, and she wanted to think about what to say first. After this, she couldn't have him thinking it was just a paranoid nightmare.

"I can't go back to sleep," she whispered. "Not yet. Would you just… just hold me for now?"

"Of course."

He repositioned her a little, and as his voice trailed off, Vanessa felt something resonating through his chest, almost a hum, though she couldn't actually hear it. The tone, if it could be called that, was too low for the range of human hearing, but it sang to her. It was comforting and familiar, as though he'd spoken to her with this voice coloring his words all along.

"What is that?" she asked sleepily.

"What is what?"

"That… That…" she yawned. "Never mind."

"Sleep, Vanessa," he murmured. "I have you. No harm will come to you tonight. I will protect you."

"But…" Vanessa started to say, but couldn't finish the thought. This wasn't something he could protect her from. _She_ needed to protect _him_. In the light of day, when the image wasn't so vivid, and she could think clearly, she would tell him, warn him to stay away from Hiroshima. For the moment, it was enough to simply be in his warm embrace.

As dawn broke through the trees, Vanessa awoke stiff and cramped, and when she moved to stretch, Sesshoumaru growled and tightened his hold on her protectively, almost possessively.

_Oh yeah._

She lay half in his lap, propped against his chest and shielded by his body. He was curled around her, shoulders hunched and head bowed as he slept. His eyes opened slowly, and at first he didn't see her. Vanessa watched him, watched his brow furrow before he finally woke with a start.

"Hey," she said softly, reaching up to touch his cheek while he gained his bearings. His gaze found hers, and she saw in it the concern she had caused over a silly dream.

Not just a dream, she reminded herself. A warning. It could wait a few more hours.

He watched her silently with questioning eyes, but Vanessa put a hand in the middle of his chest and pushed gently. For a moment he resisted, but finally let himself fall back to the soft earth beneath them. Meanwhile, Vanessa untangled herself and lay down beside him, folding her arms between their bodies for warmth. Sesshoumaru looked at her then squinted up at the sun.

"A little longer," he agreed and tucked his cloak around her then closed his eyes again. "Thank you," he mumbled.

How late did she keep him up last night? Usually he was up before the dawn. How much of her fear could he feel? No point in disturbing his rest now. She inched closer and closed her own eyes, warm and secure with him.

VvVvVvVvVvV

Sesshoumaru awoke an hour later with aching neck and shoulders. He sat up and rolled his neck and each shoulder one at a time, feeling a few pops as things settled back into place. Vanessa's eyes were on him when he glanced down at her. She winced. "Sorry."

He removed his cloak and draped it over her shoulders when she sat up beside him. "You were frightened. That is no reason to apologize."

"It was a dream."

"Nevertheless."

He stood then, and went off to find something to eat. He'd witnessed her nightmares before. Not so long ago, in fact, after their encounter with the bandits. This one was different. This one wasn't fading. She tried to hide it, but he could still feel her fear. Not for the first time, he thought of their bond as a mixed blessing. He hadn't slept much better than she did.

When he returned and put the meat on the fire, Vanessa excused herself to change in relative privacy. He was watching the meat when he sensed her at his back so he wasn't completely surprised when she knelt behind him, though he did wonder what she was up to. He felt her hands touch his shoulders lightly.

"What are you – oh…" Sesshoumaru shuddered as her deceptively dainty hands worked absolute magic on the muscles in his neck and shoulder. She paused.

"Was that good or bad? Do you want me to stop?"

"Good," he breathed. He thought he might give her just about anything if she would just continue what she started. Thankfully, he didn't have to. "Very good."

Vanessa laughed. "I just felt bad that you got a stiff neck because of me."

Why had she not demonstrated this particular talent before? He could get used to it. "Hm," he answered intelligently.

"There is something I need to talk to you about, though."

Now? Now she wanted to talk when she was doing such a good job of destroying his ability to maintain coherent thought? "M-hm."

"It's about the future."

Sesshoumaru's eyes drifted closed. "Go on."

Her hands slowed briefly. "Sometimes I get the feeling your father brought me here."

"Why…" He grunted when she found a knot and began working on it then continued, "Why would you say that?" He'd had similar notions – his father had all but told him that Vanessa was meant for him. Of course, that was impossible. Maybe.

"Well, for one thing, he's dead, but he keeps showing up to tell one or both of us what to do."

She paused again, and he could feel… anger? Indignation? Rolling off of her in waves, but her hands were gentle as she began kneading his muscles again. "I don't like being manipulated, but… I can't honestly say that I regret coming here or any of the things that have happened since then. I don't blame him for any of that. I especially don't regret meeting you," she said softly. Then she cleared her throat. "And he had a valid point this time."

Sesshoumaru jerked and twisted to look at her. "This time?"

Vanessa nodded. "He was in my dream last night. Sort of."

"Was he that frightening?" he asked dryly, and then frowned when she shuddered, fear and grief pouring off of her. Tears glistened and threatened to fall before she blinked them away.

He turned around to face her fully and took her hand. There was nothing he could do to guard her from dreams except to be a strong, comforting presence while she slept, and even that would be useless if someone thought there was something she needed to see.

"Tell me," he said gently. "What did my father show you?"

"I saw you die," she whispered.

That… was unexpected. Despite all of the battles and close calls, immortality tended to give him a sense of, well… immortality. For her to react this way, he assumed she didn't see him die of old age. "Is that all?" he asked evenly. "We all die someday." He remembered a similar conversation with Rin before they left… He'd never talked about his own death so much at one time with any of his youkai acquaintances. It had never been an issue.

Vanessa shook her head. "Not like this. You _can't_ die this way. I saw… I saw…" she took a deep breath and made an effort to calm herself. "Let me back up. Do you remember when I told you that one day my country and yours will be at war?"

He nodded. According to Vanessa, that war was centuries yet to come. Was she saying that she saw him alive in that time? It was a promising thought. And if he had to die young, there was no better way to go than in the glory of battle.

"Japan bombed one of my country's naval bases," she continued, oblivious to his line of thought. "It was a surprise attack. No one could have expected it since all of our focus was on the war in Europe across the ocean to the east – that's where we are now. We weren't ready for war to hit our shores, but it didn't take long for a retaliatory strike against two of your cities."

"That happens in war… Opposing sides trade attacks until one is defeated or gives up."

Vanessa shook her head again. "Not like this!" She said, her frustration plain to see, though he couldn't quite yet understand why. "War changes between now and then. Weapons are different. Combat is different. You won't be fighting with swords, man-to-man on a defined battlefield… You… You can't fight."

She sat up on her knees and gripped his shoulders with an almost crazed look in her eyes. "You won't get the chance," she whispered. She was shaking again when Sesshoumaru gently took her elbow.

"Vanessa," he said slowly. "Calm down. You don't have to tell me."

She dropped her forehead to his shoulder and let out a deep breath. "There was a bomb," she said into the space between them. "And that explosion… If people didn't die in the blast, they died later from radiation sickness. Either way, they died awful deaths."

"And I die…" he prompted.

"In the explosion," she said, looking up at him and meeting his eyes at last.

"I see." He wasn't sure what to feel now that he knew the method of this death, if not the time. Then again, death in battle would be an honorable death right?

"I know what you're thinking," Vanessa said, raising her hand to touch his cheek. "You want to die in battle." She turned her eyes away from for moment to look at his cheek as she swept her thumb over his cheekbone. "But… you look much better with skin on your bones."

It took a few minutes for him to really process what it was that she saw in her dream, but once he did, it took no time to understand her fear. He had to admit that burning to death, however quickly, would not be an ideal way to go.

"So…" he began after Vanessa sat back across from him. "When does this happen?"

"You believe me?"

He lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "You have given me no reason not to. But… Why now? You have never tried to prevent specific events before."

"I'm not –" Suddenly she looked like she might be sick. "It's just… You can't die that way. Do me a favor, okay?" she said suddenly, looking at him intently.

"Anything."

"Hundreds of years from now, in the middle of the twentieth century by the Western calendar – you'll know when the time comes – stay as far away from any big city as you can. This war will be what's known now as a 'World War' and no city is really any better off than another, but I would feel better if you weren't in Japan at least."

"You risk changing the history you know by telling me this."

Vanessa laughed tightly. "I risk changing history just by being here. I'm not trying to stop what happened in that war. It has to happen."

"So you would save me and leave the other thousands of humans to die."

"I don't really have much choice."

"But why me? Why not leave me to my natural death."

Vanessa stared at her hands. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked him softly.

No. He could have his secret hopes, but nothing was ever obvious with this woman. She opened her mouth to speak. "I…" then cleared her throat and looked away. "Your father knew I could do something to help you. How could I refuse?"

"Of course. My father." For some reason that explanation left him wanting and a little disappointed. She peered at him but said nothing else. "I will do my best to avoid this battle," he assured her. "Perhaps now my father will leave you alone."

"I don't mind that much. Even if he is a little invasive, at least he's helpful. His intentions are good."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "Nevertheless, he is dead. He should not be plaguing your sleep this way."

He sniffed and grimaced. "It would seem that your sleep wasn't the only thing disrupted, but also your breakfast. I will be right back," he said, scooping the blackened remains of the meal out of the fire.

"Sesshoumaru, it's all right. I don't really have much appetite this morning."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

"Then… Shall we be on our way?"

Hours later, Sesshoumaru was leading the way down a narrow track. It was clearly not used by heavy carts or wagons, but it was clear enough for him not to have to concentrate on guiding Cracker Jack. It gave him time to think – a little about his father, but mostly about Vanessa. She was quiet as she rode behind him, probably lost in her own thoughts as well. She hadn't said much most of the morning since her warning, but her fear was gone. Mostly. Every now and then he would feel a little burst of something akin to revulsion, which he figured must have been moments when her dream came back to her. If he ever saw his father again, in this life or the next, he was going to have a few words for him.

The day was pleasant otherwise, warm with a hint of winter's chill on the breeze like any mid-autumn day at home would be. He was listening to the sounds the wind carried when he heard Vanessa take in a quick breath.

"Sessh…" she breathed.

Sesshoumaru turned to look over his shoulder at the sound of her voice and saw her slump and begin to slide out of her saddle. He almost didn't make it to her before she hit the ground, but he was able to catch her and cushion her fall somewhat.

"Vanessa?" he said, holding her gently and untangling her from her saddle. "Vanessa, what is wrong?"

No response.

Heart racing, he laid her on the ground and rolled his cloak to pillow her head. She had a pulse and was breathing, but whatever he tried, Sesshoumaru couldn't make her wake. He sat back on his heels and looked up and down the narrow road. What should he do? There was nothing for miles, not a house or farm, no humans who could help him if she didn't wake up. What could have happened?

He should get her off the road… Looking up and down the trail once more to be sure that no one and nothing was coming, Sesshoumaru rounded up the horses and tethered them a short distance away. When he returned for her, he held a sliver of hope that she had recovered from whatever it was that ailed her, but there was no change.

Sesshoumaru hefted her carefully over his shoulder and went to the shade tree where he had left the horses then sat and cradled her gingerly in his lap. What had me missed? What slipped past his defenses to strike her down this way? He should have paid more attention.

"Come back to me," he whispered, holding her close to his chest and touching his lips lightly to her forehead. He was walking on dangerous ground now… He didn't dare show her so much affection if she were awake. Not with the end coming so soon, but he needed her. He was realizing it more and more. Was this how she felt when he was unconscious all those weeks? Nervous, and worried and anxious? Sesshoumaru wasn't used to feeling that way. The last time he felt anything like it… Rin had taken ill, but Inuyasha's woman was near enough to help. Here, he had no one.

It felt like an eternity, but it must have been only minutes before she opened her eyes with a gasp.

"I am here," he soothed gently when she struggled weakly against his hold on her. "You are all right."

"Sesshoumaru?" Vanessa stilled and stared up at him with wide eyes. "What… what happened?"

"What do you remember?" he asked softly, combing a few tendrils of her hair back from her face with his fingers.

She looked down briefly at her own fingers twisted in his clothes. "I was riding… And then I was here."

"How do you feel?"

"All right, I guess. My head aches a little. What happened?" she asked again.

"I don't know. I saw you begin to fall – but I caught you," he added quickly. "You were out for several minutes."

"I was?"

He nodded. "I did not want to leave you by the road so I brought you here. I didn't know when you might wake."

"Well… I'm awake now," she said and tried to stand, but immediately plopped back into his lap again with a groan.

"Easy," he said with a low chuckle. "Are you sure you are all right?"

"I think I'll just sit here for a minute. If you don't mind," she added as an afterthought.

"As you wish."

He didn't mind really. He just wished he knew what happened so he could prevent it in the future.

"Perhaps you should eat something," he suggested. Could she be that exhausted? He shouldn't have let her skip breakfast.

"Sesshoumaru, really, I –"

"For me, Vanessa. I just want to know that I am taking proper care of you."

"You are," she said, raising her eyebrows at him in surprise. "But… well, I suppose… Is there any bread left?"

Vanessa insisted she was fine when they stopped for the night later that evening, but Sesshoumaru couldn't help thinking that she still looked pale. Her eyes had lost the wild look he'd seen that morning, but there was still something different about her when she looked at him.

As he meticulously prepared their meal, unwilling to waste the effort again, Vanessa puttered around the camp, laying out the bedrolls and sorting through their clothes. "Hey, Sesshoumaru?" she called while he poked at the meat.

"Yes?"

"What do you think the weather will be like tomorrow?"

"The weather?" He hadn't noticed any change in the wind. "Like today, I suppose. Why?"

She held out a pair of pants pinched between her thumb and forefinger, muddied from the last rain, and grimaced. They were his clothes, he noted, and regretted that he hadn't acquired more of the enchanted silk that made up his usual garb.

"Think we can take part of the day and do some laundry?"

"I don't see why not. I will find some water in the morning."

"Great!"

She dropped the rest of the clothes in a heap and joined him at the fire where she sighed and leaned against him just a little.

"Are you all right?" he asked, wondering if she was having a relapse.

"I think so." He caught her rubbing at her forehead, but before he could say anything, she turned worried eyes on him.

"What's wrong with me?" she whispered. Sesshoumaru had wondered himself what had suddenly gone wrong, but still, the question caught him off guard. He pulled the meat off the fire to cool while he thought of an appropriate answer. "I mean that wasn't the first time it happened. Not really."

Sesshoumaru shot her a startled look. "It wasn't?"

"No, don't you remember? After…" She swallowed. "After Shizu left. On the road. I didn't think about it then, but it felt the same. All of a sudden I felt lightheaded and weak."

She was right. He tried not to let his worry show, but he realized that whatever was happening, it was getting worse. He tried to think of any other times where she might have gotten weak suddenly, but nothing came to mind. He might not have recognized it.

"Should I be afraid?"

Sesshoumaru put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. "I don't know," he murmured. "But whatever this is, whatever is happening, I will not let you come to harm."

She slipped one arm around his waist and picked up a strip of roasted meat, blowing on it needlessly to cool it before she took a bite. "I know you will. I'll always be safe with you."

He only hoped he could live up to that promise.

VvVvVvVvVvVv

Vanessa felt much better the next morning, and with their clothes washed and spread out to dry, she lay back on the bank of the stream Sesshoumaru had found and sighed contentedly. The water had been cold, but she still donned the swimsuit Kagome's mother had bought her and washed herself and their clothes. May as well do them all, she figured. After she had changed and Sesshoumaru saw that she wore only her swimsuit with her robe open over her shoulders, he raised an eyebrow at her bare legs, and she could have sworn she caught a hint of a blush coloring his cheeks. _Interesting_, she mused. But after that, he had made himself conspicuously scarce.

It wasn't the first time he had seen her swimsuit, and besides, there wouldn't be many more days she could enjoy the sun this way. Even as she thought it, a cool breeze made goose bumps crop up on her still-damp skin. Deciding not to push her luck, she wrapped up in her robe and let the dark fabric soak up the sun to warm her. A few minutes later, Sesshoumaru sat silently down beside her and dipped his bare feet in the slow-moving water. A hesitant smile touched his lips before he turned his face up to the sun.

He wasn't all he made himself out to be, Vanessa thought, not for the first time. There was more to him than the cold, calculating face he showed the world. She watched him enjoying the simple pleasure of a warm sun and cool water, and smiled.

It was still hours before either could muster the will to gather up their clothes and move on. They had barely spoken, but the silence was far from uncomfortable. Vanessa could think of very few people she could just sit in silence with, let alone people she'd only known a few months, and refused to let her thoughts drift to how much it would hurt if and when they parted ways.

Sesshoumaru glanced at her from Cracker Jack's back.

"What?" Vanessa asked, smiling when he didn't say anything.

"You enjoyed yourself today."

"So did you."

"I am glad," he continued. "Especially after… ah… yesterday."

"Me too. You know, if you ever want to do something just for fun, don't think that I would object to the delay. I mean… I don't want to take up more of your time than is necessary, but I want you to be able to enjoy yourself too."

"Vanessa, it is no…"

His voice trailed off and he froze, letting Cracker Jack fall behind Peanut.

"Sesshoumaru?" Vanessa said, unable to keep the sudden worry from her voice. "What-"

He held up a hand for silence and inhaled deeply through his nose, standing up a little in his stirrups, and closing his eyes to focus just on his sense of smell. Then, with widened eyes, he gave her an intent look and launched himself into the sky, startling the horse beneath him. Vanessa shielded her eyes against the sun, and watched him fly higher and higher, until he was no more than a spec, and then she couldn't see him at all. How high could he go? More importantly, what made him suddenly need to fly so far from her?

With a soft thump, he landed and gathered up Cracker Jack's reins. "Well?" Vanessa probed. "What was that all about?"

"I caught a scent on the wind," he replied, eyeing her over his shoulder while he tended to his horse. Emotions she couldn't pin down coursed through him, and though he had his back to her, it seemed like he was trying to collect himself. What happened??

"And? What was it?" she asked impatiently.

Sesshoumaru turned slowly toward her, frowning in thought, brow furrowed. Then he looked up at her, clearing from his face evidence of what he might be feeling.

"It is the sea."


	27. Getting Closer!

Into the East

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Getting Closer!

Posted: 10 January 2013

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me, so basically everything but Sesshoumaru at this point.

A/N: Um… Merry Christmas?

Here goes…

Vanessa bit her lip and studied the road ahead. Sesshoumaru was counting on her to lead the way, but she had no idea where they were. She could only hope they hadn't gone too far north in their Westward journeys and that they were somewhere in France. They hadn't encountered any towns yet so she hadn't been able to get a feel for the language to be sure. She had never been more worried about disappointing him than she was the closer they got to the coast. They had come all this way, after all, and now they were about to hit a dead end in the form of the Atlantic Ocean.

"Vanessa, stop," Sesshoumaru called almost wearily from behind her. She hadn't noticed that he'd dropped back. Now she turned to look over her shoulder at him to find was rubbing at his forehead, his face uncharacteristically twisted in discomfort.

She turned Peanut and trotted back to him, her earlier worries set aside. The lines in his face smoothed as she approached. "What is it?"

"You must stop all of this… this worrying," he said, eyes gentle as he looked at her. "Your anxiety is putting me on edge and I cannot focus on our surroundings. I am not concerned, and neither should you be. We will find a way."

"How did you…? Never mind," she said with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I can't help it. You're counting on me to get us where we're going and I don't know if I can do it." Defeated, Vanessa slumped in her saddle, making Peanut shift uneasily beneath her.

Sesshoumaru nudged Cracker Jack toward her and leaned casually on the pommel of his own saddle. "Vanessa, you are being ridiculous," he said bluntly. "I never expected you to know exactly where to go. You simply have the advantage of knowing some of the histories and languages of this land. I do not. You have gotten us this far."

"Its not that hard to point us west," she muttered glumly.

"No," Sesshoumaru agreed. "But you have been able to get us food and lodging and horses along the way.

She had done that, hadn't she? He watched her with the barest smile on his face, and his easy confidence was the ballast she needed to steady her own nerves. It didn't do either of them any good for her to worry about something she couldn't control and wear both of them down in the process. She resolved to focus on what she could do to help and not so much on how little she could do…

Sesshoumaru straightened in his saddle then and nudged Cracker Jack forward down the road. Peanut followed automatically, having grown accustomed to the routine after weeks on the road. "Now then," he said. "In your time, how does one reach this England of yours from this side of the… English Channel, you called it?"

"Well, there's the tunnel underneath, but that won't be built for centuries. So that's out."

Sesshoumaru made a noise of agreement.

"We could go by boat or fly."

"I can accommodate both," Sesshoumaru responded. "How long would it take by boat?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe an hour or so on a high-speed ferry."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "If that is all, then I should be able to see land across the water. I will watch for it."

"Sesshoumaru, I don't know where we are. We could be looking for a needle in a haystack if we're in the wrong place."

He shrugged. "We can be strategic in our search. How is this any different from our travels up until now? What is really bothering you?"

"I can say exactly. It's just… We're so close, but I feel like we're still so far away. I don't want to let you down, and I don't want to make you stay away longer than you have to."

"Vanessa, I have told you before: I would not be here if I did not want to see this through to the end. However long it takes."

Vanessa sighed and turned her eyes forward again. He said that, but she couldn't help feeling guilty. "OK, how about this. We head north for two or three days, and if we don't find anything by then, we turn around and try the other direction. It might put us a week or more out of our way, but who knows. Maybe we'll get lucky."

"That's the spirit," Sesshoumaru said with unusual perkiness. Cracker Jack danced beneath him in response to his mood. Vanessa couldn't help grinning.

"I'll race you to the next fork in the road!" she cried and kicked Peanut into a canter.

The horse snorted in surprise and kicked beneath her, but she caught on to her suddenly light mood. She rolled her eyes back at Cracker Jack, who, with just a bit of urging from Sesshoumaru was quickly gaining, and kicked it up another notch. Vanessa let her go for a few minutes, but when it was apparent that no fork was going to divide the road, she reigned her in, breathless and laughing, relieved that the game had released much of the tension she'd been feeling. Sesshoumaru hadn't left her side through the entire "race" and reined in beside her, a small, pleased smile on his face. Everything would be ok, Vanessa decided. However long it took, she would get home, and Sesshoumaru would be by her side every step of the way. With a final grin at him, Vanessa let Peanut cool off and walk at her own pace down the road.

They reached an intersection with a coastal road leading north- and southward later that evening and made camp along the cliffs. With the sheer drop on one side and the open road and fields on the other, Sesshoumaru had deemed it as safe a place as any. He'd even dropped down over the side of the cliff in search of hollowed out niches in the rock face, but no luck this time. At least no one would be sneaking up on them.

"North tomorrow then?" Vanessa asked as she laid out their bedrolls.

Sesshoumaru nodded. If they were lucky, they would be near the narrow stretch across from Dover. If not, they would spend a few more days together in search of the island nation.

"I've been to London before," Vanessa said. "In my time of course. I'm curious to see how it's different now. Obviously there won't be any skyscrapers or cars now, and the Underground isn't even a gleam in the city's eye, but I wonder if the layout has changed."

"It will be a new experience for both of us then," Sesshoumaru said.

Vanessa smiled. The atmosphere was easy between them again. Her worries were set aside for the time being. No otherworldly warnings had shown up in either of their dreams in what seemed like ages now. And for once, they were able to enjoy each other's company without impending danger to interrupt them. It was peaceful. Why couldn't the entire journey have been this way? It wouldn't have followed the pattern of her entire journey in the past, that's why. She'd enjoy it while she could, hoping it would last.

"Is there anything else I should know about this London?" Sesshoumaru asked. She'd been filling him in on customs as she could recall from history books, and, she was ashamed to admit, from movies. They couldn't be entirely fiction, could they?

"Just what I've said before, keep your differences hidden, and keep a low profile. Other than that, the sooner we can find a ship across the Atlantic, the better." Vanessa wouldn't say it, but she was concerned that the power of his presence would draw attention whether they wanted it or not.

With a lighter heart than she'd felt in days, Vanessa curled up next to her companion and fell right to sleep.

vVvVvVv

Over the next several days, Sesshoumaru took periodic leaps into the sky in search of land across the water. It wasn't until the third day just as the sun was beginning to set, that he saw a faint silhouette against the afternoon sun. He dropped quickly to bring Vanessa up for a look; if he waited much longer, the glare of the setting sun would hide it.

"Do you see it?" he asked. He could never be sure how keen his human's eyesight was.

"I… I think so. Should we try to cross now? Or wait until tomorrow?"

Sesshoumaru eyed the sun. If those "high speed" ferries she mentioned could make the crossing in just a couple of hours, and assuming he could match their speed, the sun would be nearly set by the time they made landfall. Could he risk flying at night? He couldn't guarantee that the towns on the coast would be lit and with just a sliver of moon for light, he could go off course.

In the end he thought it safer to wait until they had more daylight. "Tomorrow," he said, and descended.

Vanessa was giddy as she set up camp, and he could understand it. For the first time in months, she would be surrounded by people who spoke her language, people who in another time would be able to welcome her without the language barrier that she had struggled with in the past months. True, she had learned Japanese surprisingly well in her short time in his home, but this would be closer to what she knew. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, would be the one at a loss to understand what was said around him, as much as he had been during their travels. At least then, they were both the foreigners. He would be entirely dependent on her translation. He was a bit uneasy about that himself, but if she could do it, then so could he.

Sesshoumaru smiled as he lay down to rest for the night. It was as if Vanessa had gained sudden renewed strength and energy, and he was glad. Whatever had been ailing her so strangely recently seemed to have passed for the time being; she'd had no sudden weakness or other illness since they started north. He kept it in the back of his mind, but he wouldn't worry until there was something he could do about it. Perhaps she had simply been exhausted. He looked over at her across the fire and watched her sigh and smile in her sleep. She would be fine. He would get her home somehow, and she would be fine.

The next morning, just before dawn, they released the horses in a nearby field, left the saddles and tack on the fence for anyone who would want them and sped off across the water. Sesshoumaru kept to a low altitude, skimming just above the surface in the hope that they wouldn't stand out against the lightening sky. He kept a sharp lookout for fishermen or anyone else out on the water and, contrary to much of their journey thus far, they did not encounter any trouble. For that he was grateful. He couldn't have defended them if it had come to a fight without dropping Vanessa and all of their belongings into the water.

They touched down on the rocky shore and, Sesshoumaru looked around with great interest. This was where Vanessa's ancestors had come from. Would the rest of these people be like her? Or like every other human he had yet come across?

He had spotted a fishing village as he drew nearer to the shore and had brought them to the south of it. Now, as much as he was loathe to spend any more time among unknown humans as was necessary, he thought it might be a good idea to get some food and general directions. On the other hand, the village was small and would likely be more curious about outsiders than he was comfortable with.

"Now who's worried?" Vanessa said from his elbow, startling him out of his thoughts.

"I was only planning our next course of action," he replied, indignant at the implication.

"What do you have in mind?"

"There is a small village in that direction," Sesshoumaru said, nodding toward the north. "We could restock our supplies there and get directions, but we are strangers and the village is small. There may be questions."

Vanessa hefted her pack and, with a pat on his arm, began walking north along the coast. "If we are where I think we are, we'll have to follow this coast anyway. And if the village is no good, we just keep going until we find something larger. We should have enough for at least a few days anyway. And there's always fish if the food runs out," she said, indicating the sea to her right.

As it happened, they did not stay in the village longer than it took to buy some spare hooks and fishing line. They would come in handy, Vanessa reasoned, and they only cost him a few copper pieces.

As they walked down the wagon track toward London, Sesshoumaru marveled at the differences between this island nation and his own. Where the hillsides at home were lush and green, here they were rocky fields dotted with white flocks of sheep. There were forests, but even those seemed different, darker and perhaps a bit more foreboding. Yet every now and then, as a forest crept toward the road, Sesshoumaru would feel the prickle of something almost familiar against his senses. Once, he stopped and stared into the forest, trying to discern what the presence was.

"What is it?" Vanessa asked, wary curiosity in her voice.

"There is something out there." Sesshoumaru said, never taking his eyes off the forest. "Something… not human." It was the first time since their encounter with the dragons so many weeks ago that he had sensed anything but human and ordinary animal life.

"Do you want to check it out?"

He shook his head. With no way to know the territories and customs of the locals, he did not want to put Vanessa in danger only to satisfy his curiosity. "It is not a threat." At least he didn't think so. More bridges to cross later.

When they stopped for the night, however, the presence returned, closer than before. Sesshoumaru had the feeling of something watching him. Whatever it was, it stayed out of sight and never made any move to make contact, only lingering out there in the night. He tried to ignore it, but without knowing what it was, how could he know how to defend Vanessa if it did choose to attack? She glanced at him from time to time, but didn't comment on his agitation.

That second night since landing on Britain's shores, Sesshoumaru had had enough of the mysterious intruder. "Stay here," he growled, startling her from her dinner as he stood. He felt more than saw her surprise and concern, and he softened his tone when he said, "I will not be long. Keep a watchful eye."

Sesshoumaru sped off into the surrounding woods, circling wide to try to keep his approach hidden. He slipped silently from tree to tree, barely moving the branches as he moved. He could feel it getting closer. At the moment, it wasn't about what he would do when he caught it, only the pursuit; he would consider the rest when the time came.

He was almost upon it.

At any moment, he would be able to put his hands on it, whatever it was. He was so close to his answers… And then it was gone.

Sesshoumaru stopped short and turned in a circle. It was just there, right in front of him, he knew it! What could simply disappear like that? How could he protect against something that could appear and disappear like a thought? He paused again. Was that was it was all about? Not merely curiosity and annoyance, but a truly perceived threat? In a sudden fit of frustration, he lashed out at the trunk of the tree he'd been perched on, scoring deep gashes through the bark and into the white flesh beneath. His snarl turned to a hiss and then a resigned sigh.

He couldn't take much more of this.

He closed his eyes and tried to bring himself back under control. It was becoming more and more difficult to resist his feelings for her and this obsessive need to protect her. He would be ruined if his peers back home learned of this. And yet, what were they thinking already about his extended absence?

"Is everything all right?" asked a small voice below him. Sesshoumaru froze, barely daring to breathe. He took in his surroundings and noticed for the first time how close he was to their camp, how close that being had been.

"Sesshoumaru? What's wrong?" He was never sure how much she perceived from their bond and how much she gained from simply reading him. Worry colored her voice now, and he sighed and dropped to the ground beside her.

"Many things," he admitted, and from the look on her face, he wasn't sure who was more surprised. She waited patiently for him to continue. "There is something out there. I cannot see it or smell it, but I can feel it. It has done nothing but stay at the edges of my perception, but there is something I do not like about it, and when I got close just now, it simply disappeared. I don't like it."

Vanessa thought a moment. "What else can we do besides keep an eye on where it is?"

Sesshoumaru let out a frustrated breath. "Nothing. We can do nothing until it makes some tangible move."

"Then come get some sleep. We can't be far now, and I have a feeling you won't find London restful with all the people around."

With a shake of his head, he took a step toward the fire at their camp. She made sense, but he would not find sleep easily tonight, not with the knowledge that this creature could come and go without a trace, and not knowing what threat it posed.

"Please, Sesshoumaru? You'll wear yourself out."

On impulse, he touched her cheek and stepped past her. "You know I do not require the sleep that a human does. I will do as you ask if I tire," he conceded when she looked like she would object. That was all he could give her for now.

True to his thoughts, Sesshoumaru didn't sleep much that night, and what little he got was fitful and light. He still wasn't sure what to make of that presence. It didn't come again in the night, be he knew it would be back eventually. Call it a hunch.

Sure enough, as they were breaking camp that third day after landing on Britain's shores, it returned. He knew enough not to try to pursue it, but he did turn his focus toward it to a greater degree as they walked, trying in vain to figure out what it was.

There was more traffic on the road as they traveled that day; small signs of large city nearby, and by the next, Sesshoumaru began to _see_ signs of a large city. Houses were closer together. Carts packed the road. Humanity pressed in from all sides and put his senses on overdrive. He'd never seen so many people packed into one place, and it only got worse the closer they got to the city. And all the while, that sense of being watched never diminished.

Vanessa stayed close to his side, and all of the others gave them a wide berth, as wide as the crowded streets would allow, as though they sensed the danger in their midst.

"Are you okay?" Vanessa asked when they stopped on the side of the road for a break in the afternoon. The city loomed scant miles away. They would arrive before nightfall.

"There are more humans than I expected," he said, eyeing each person as they passed them. Vanessa laughed and he looked at her sharply.

"This is the seat of the British Empire. Queen… King… Oh, I have no idea who's ruling now. Anyway, he… or she… is one of the most powerful people in Europe, in the whole world! This is the center of commerce, government, society… Of course there are people here."

"But there are so many of them," he complained

Vanessa laughed again. "Come on. Let's move on." Heavy clouds laden with snow, if the chill in the air was any indication, crowded in above the city, making it feel denser and more oppressive as the afternoon wore on.

It seemed mere moments before they were entering the city proper, and Sesshoumaru could only stare. Buildings of wood and stone pressed against each other along the street, sometimes seeming to lean over the pedestrians walking below. Scents assaulted his nose: people, sewage, food, animals, wood smoke... And when the strangeness of it all seemed like it would be too much, too overwhelming, he felt Vanessa lightly take his arm, much in the same manner that many of the other women on the street held onto their escorts. He took a deep breath, ignoring the human stink around him and sought Vanessa's fresh and familiar scent to ground him. He glanced at her and nodded. She smiled.

"We should probably think about getting some new clothes," she was saying. "We stand out a little."

That was an understatement. Even wrapped in their cloaks, it was evident that what they wore was foreign. People passing cast curious glances at them. A child stared openly until his mother tugged him along down the road. "That would probably be wise. I do not know how long it will take to secure passage on a ship, and I would not want to cause more of a scene than we already are on a daily basis."

"But first, let's find an inn," she said eagerly. "I would kill for a hot bath right about now."

Sesshoumaru cracked a small smile. "Lead on, then. The markings on these signs mean nothing to me," he said nodding to a wooden sign with what appeared to be a deer wearing a crown hanging above a door, with a smaller sign hanging below that with strange characters in what he assumed were words. As the first small flakes of snow began to drift lazily down, the feeling of that strange presence changed.

"Vanessa, wait a moment." He pulled out of her grasp and stood stock still in the road.

"What is it?"

He held up his hand in response, and turned a slow circle. "I feel the presence from before, but it is much stronger now. It is different."

Sesshoumaru scanned faces as he turned. Dismissing them almost as soon as his eyes settled on them, he'd almost made a full circle when he met the brilliant green eyes of a red-haired woman. She raised her eyebrows at him and continued to hold his gaze unflinchingly as few humans could. He was taken aback. He'd never seen this woman before, and yet the feeling of her presence was familiar in the sea of strangeness that surrounded him.

He began to turn to Vanessa to tell her, but stopped. There was something about this woman. He couldn't look away, didn't want to lose sight of her. Vanessa took his elbow and said something, but his attention was not on her words. The woman held him just a moment more, and then smiled a small, smug smile. As Vanessa's tug on his arm grew more insistent, the red-haired woman's eyes flashed with bright green light, and he had just enough time to think about warning Vanessa before his mind went curiously blank.

vVvVvVv

With growing unease, Vanessa tried in vain to pull Sesshoumaru's attention away from the stranger. Something was not right with her. She stood several yards away, another island in the mass of people going about their business, just staring at him. She ignored Vanessa completely. Why wouldn't he answer her?

"Sesshoumaru, please. I'm... I'm tired. Let's find some place for the night," she pleaded, trying to appeal to his over protectiveness of her, but he continued to stare fixedly at the woman... Who was now coming closer. "Sesshoumaru, come on. I don't like this," she whispered.

Finally he looked at her and frowned down at her hand on his elbow. Vanessa gasped at the utter lack of recognition in his eyes and let go even as he moved to pull himself free. This was not good.

Sesshoumaru let his pack slide to the ground and turned back to the woman who was only steps away now. Vanessa snatched it up before it could be kicked away or stolen and watched the encounter unfold before her eyes.

The woman stepped right up to Sesshoumaru and peered directly into his hood. He just stood there. They had been so careful, even and especially in the towns and cities to keep his true appearance hidden, to keep a low profile. Even Andrej, who had treated them so well at that first inn, was not permitted to see who he really was, and here he was standing in the middle of the street, letting some strange woman look right into his face.

"My, but you are a pretty one aren't you?" She said in a lilting accent that might have been Irish. Vanessa overcame her sudden shock at hearing her own language spoken again when the woman reached up and took Sesshoumaru's chin, turning his face to see his markings better. Vanessa almost fell over. If she hadn't been certain before, now she knew without a doubt that something was seriously wrong.

"So different," the woman murmured. "Exotic." She nodded as if deciding she liked that, then cried out in delight when she reached further and drew out a handful of his hair, letting the thick, silky stands slide through her fingers.

Vanessa had to get him away. That's all there was to it, and since he clearly wasn't in his right mind, it fell on her to figure this out.

"Leave him alone," she said, attempting to emulate Sesshoumaru, and proud that her voice came strong and sure, despite how she felt inside.

The woman turned her gaze on her now and gave only a dismissive sniff before continuing her study of Sesshoumaru. Vanessa looked down at herself, trying to see what the other woman saw and was appalled at the state of her clothes. She was dusty and dirty from travel, her clothes were frayed and wearing in places after the abuse she'd put them through the past few months. When was the last time she had washed them? The water had been so cold lately that she could only give herself a quick necessary scrub, and ever since sighting the coast, they hadn't given as much time to washing their clothes as they had before; they hadn't wanted to take the day to wash clothes and set them out to dry, when they could do it all with hot water and a crackling fire once they reached London. Or so she thought.

_She must think I'm a servant_, Vanessa thought, wondering now how she could use this to her advantage. Before she knew it, Sesshoumaru was walking away with the woman.

"Hey wait! Where are you going?"

Sesshoumaru spared her a glance and then locked eyes with the woman again, cocking his head with just the hint of a frown. "With her," he said, as if that was all the explanation she needed, though he wasn't quite sure why. Then he turned back and continued on his way.

"Sesshoumaru, you aren't thinking. Listen to me, this isn't you."

The woman stopped and looked back, Sesshoumaru turning add if on cue.

"Get rid of her."

He looked at the woman with genuine puzzlement until she narrowed her eyes. Did they just get brighter for a second or was that a trick of the light?

As she was trying to work out this new piece, Sesshoumaru rounded on her with a snarl and raised claws. He never struck, but at the sudden sound and movement, and bared teeth, Vanessa jumped back. Until that moment, Vanessa had never been truly terrified of him, and now that he had apparently lost control of himself, she couldn't be sure that he would not hurt her.

He wasn't _her_ Sesshoumaru right now. That puzzled look flashed in his eyes again, and he hesitated, giving her the second she needed to scramble away into to crowded street. If he really wanted to "get rid of her" she knew he would easily track her down. She just hoped that, for now, getting out of the immediate vicinity would be enough to save her and give her the time she needed to save him.

Daring a glance back, she saw he'd returned to that woman's side and walked beside her, docile as a lamb while she appraised him with admiring eyes. Angry, frightened tears dropped onto her cheeks, but she dashed them away, resettled her packs and set off to find a place where she could collect her thoughts and figure out how to get Sesshoumaru out of this mess.

Vanessa trudged along down the road with no real destination in mind. She should have followed them. She should have found a way and done something. How was she going to find him now? But, while Sesshoumaru hadn't killed her when he had the chance – like he very well could have, he would be able to hear her or smell her if she was too near. And what if he was sent after her again to finish the job, tie off any loose ends? She could only hope that, like the youkai in Japan, this woman had an over-abundance of confidence, and had already forgotten about her.

What concerned her now was that through all of this, she could feel no change in his emotions. It wasn't as if the bond was severed by removing the bracelet; she could still feel _him_ in the back of her mind, but it was as if he had gone completely neutral, no feeling at all. Even if he had somehow lost control of his actions, she knew he should be seething mad inside. She should be able to feel that. Was there a range to their bond? No… They had been farther apart than this before, hadn't they? It didn't matter. In any case, she could still feel him, but only as empty neutrality, and that had happened the moment he locked eyes with the witch.

She paused. Was that what she was? Was that woman a real witch? Had she really cast a spell on Sesshoumaru with just a look when Naraku had to get into his very blood to do any damage? She resumed walking, sick with worry for Sesshoumaru, sick with worry for herself if he should he be sent after her again, and sicker still for him should he find her and finish the job. He'd been wracked with guilt the last time he thought he'd failed her and had torn himself out of his sickbed to find her. How much worse would it be if he killed her?

She had to find him. That's all there was to it. But how? Even now, in the middle of the sixteenth century, London was huge. It was an overwhelming task set before her now.

As the gentle flurries turned to biting icy sleet, Vanessa found herself by the river. A quick look around showed her a bridge, and light from the lamps above spilled over the side. There she could take reasonable shelter while she took stock of their belongings. She consolidated what she could into her own backpack in case she would have to leave the other. With some relief, she found the second pouch of coins; she had to assume that the one Sesshoumaru carried was gone now. How could she trust that this witch – she was sure of it now – would leave Sesshoumaru and his belongings alone? Inside the pouch was an assortment of gold, silver and copper coins, but she would have to be very sparing in what she spent if they were to have enough for passage across the Atlantic when this was over. They _would_ make it. Together.

The pouch was tucked safely out of sight in her top where the weight of it would not be a hindrance, and not a moment too soon, as a voice barked out behind her, "Oi! This here's our bridge. You better leave if you know what's good for you."

Vanessa spun around, the knife in her sleeve bumping against her arm and reminding her that she could in fact defend herself.

A boy, no older than twelve, if he was even that, stood at the head of a small group of children ranging in age from barely out of diapers to teens or tweens like he was. There wasn't one that could be considered an adult among them, but despite their youth, there was an obvious hardness about them – and the various weapons that the boys and a couple of the girls brandished at her only reinforced that image. She didn't want to fight them. Not children.

"I said –"

"All right. I didn't mean to intrude." She bent to gather the few items left on the ground.

"Leave the bags," the boy ordered.

_Are you freaking kidding me?_

That did it. He may be a child, but she had had enough today, enough the past week. She was starting to think that coming this way had been a bad idea. The residual stress from Sesshoumaru the past few days had been wearing on her on top of her own, and then losing him today?

No. Not going to happen.

She slid the knife from her sleeve smoothly as she rose again into one of the defensive stances Sesshoumaru had taught her. "Absolutely not. These are my belongings, and I have been through too much today to let a bunch of _children_ bully me. Now, you can let me go on my way _with_ my things or you can fight me for them."

The kids had taken a step back at the sight of the shining and obviously sharp steel, and she wasn't sure if it was that or the rabid snarl twisting her mouth that made them look uneasily at one another. Despite her pounding heart, she apparently looked like she knew how to handle it.

They stared at each other for what seemed like ages until a young girl, only a few years older than Rin pushed her way forward. "Oh, for Heaven's sake, Jack. Leave off."

"Miss, we don't mean you any harm. Really, we don't. Do you… Do you need help?"

Underneath the dirt and grime, Vanessa could see a mess of blonde ringlets and bright blue eyes. Ages of dirt and grime masked everything else in the low light.

Vanessa lowered her blade and straightened with a sigh. "I'm just looking for my friend. He got lost in the city and I don't know where to start looking for him."

The girl looked back at her companions and bit her lip. "We're good at finding things," she said, turning back to Vanessa. "We could help you find him for… for some food. Have you got any?"

"I don't, I'm sorry." They had finished off the last of it on the road from the shore to London running on the assumption that they would restock in the city before sailing. They hadn't gotten that far. "I can go with you tomorrow and help you get something to eat," she offered. She didn't have any great confidence that these kids would find Sesshoumaru, but from the look of them, they could use a meal or three. She had to be very careful with what money was left in case what Sesshoumaru carried was gone, but maybe she could find some odd jobs in the city to do in return for food.

The girl smiled. "Help us with the food and we'll help you find your man. Make yourself comfortable. It'll be cold tonight."

The older boy scowled at her as he herded the rest of the children farther under the bridge to escape the snow and wind, and she elected to tuck herself out of the way to watch them. They were children, but she still didn't trust them. It was horrible to think it, but they were street kids who would steal from her as soon as look at her, and at least some of them didn't want her there. She might have stayed at an inn, but she hadn't looked into getting passage on a ship yet, and couldn't risk any spending until she had a dollar value in mind.

Vanessa watched the older children passed out what amounted to scraps of food to the younger ones before taking any for themselves. They had blankets squirreled away in the nooks and crannies under the bridge, which Vanessa had thought was nothing more than trash at first glance. How were they even surviving with no one to take care of them?

Eventually the girl who had offered help on behalf of everyone came over and sat down beside Vanessa. "I'm Sarah, by the way. I never introduced everyone properly," she said.

"Vanessa."

"Pleased to meet you," Sarah replied with a cheerful smile. Vanessa couldn't quite match it with one of her own. She kept thinking about Sesshoumaru, wondering where he was and what was happening to him. She shouldn't just be sitting there, but what else could she do until morning?

"You know… You look a bit like me mum," Sarah said, breaking Vanessa out of her thoughts.

"What?"

"Something about your hair and your eyes. You could be her sister."

"Where is your mother now?" Vanessa asked, though she thought she knew the answer.

"She… passed. Taken by a fever."

"I'm sorry."

Silence fell over them. "This friend of yours. Can you tell us about him?"

Vanessa cleared her throat. Could these children really help her? "He'll look strange to you. Unless he's found other clothes, he'll be dressed all in white with splashes of red, black armor, and a white fur over one shoulder. His hair is long and white, but he's young. He has what look like tattoos on his face, and eyes like gold." She was surprised to find her cheeks wet with tears by the time she was done. Where _was_ he? Not knowing was the worst part.

This young girl, who had nothing else in the world, patted Vanessa's hand and told her it would all turn out right. There was so much wrong with a world that would leave children on the street, and she knew it wouldn't get any better, even centuries from now. How could she be so positive?

There were six children living under the bridge, two girls and four boys. The oldest were Jack and Sarah, barely into their teens if they were that – they weren't quite sure how old they were themselves. The youngest were John and Billy at five and six, and in the middle were Rebecca and Tim, both eight. They were all so young, but there was a hardness about them that she'd never seen in kids at home. They had seen things she could never imagine, lost more in their short lifetimes than many people did in three or four times as long. But despite that, here they were playing and laughing under the watchful eyes of Jack and Sarah.

Jack still didn't approve of Vanessa being there. He didn't trust outsiders, let alone adults, and how could she blame him? He was old enough to recognize the unfairness in his world. She tried to stay out of the way, not wanting to intrude on their routine until everyone fell asleep. Unsure how much she could trust them herself, she used one pack for a pillow and the other she hugged tightly to her chest.

Anything of value was in her backpack, which she could take with her easily wherever she went. Blankets and clothes, and other things that could be replaced were in the one that Sesshoumaru had dropped, now her pillow. It smelled like him, and that was a comfort. She'd find him. She had to. No more self-pity, she resolved. It wouldn't help him, and it wouldn't help her.

She must have fallen asleep sometime in the night, because she awoke shivering in the crisp clear morning that only comes after a rain or snow. Jack and the boys were gone, leaving Sarah and Rebecca waiting for Vanessa to wake up.

"Were you waiting for me?" she asked groggily. Both girls nodded.

"Jack and the boys are going to look for your friend. I told them everything you told me. And we're going to get food. Like you promised."

She had promised, hadn't she? Food as payment for Sesshoumaru's life… It hardly seemed fair that she was giving them so little when they were helping her to get back so much.

"All right, I'm up. Just let me freshen up."

Vanessa poured a little water from one of their skins from her pack, certainly not the river, into her hands and splashed her face and rinsed out her mouth. She tried to brush off the worst of the road dust, which had turned to mud in the rain and sleet yesterday, but she was afraid it was a lost cause. This was as good as it was going to get today.

"Let's see what we can find," she said and hefted both packs. "Show me London."

They started at the market, with stalls and tables set up all over the square, merchants hawking their wares and foods, and any small thing one could think of in sixteenth century London. When the girls started circling around a baker's stall like a pair of lionesses, clearly with a goal of theft in mind, Vanessa grabbed both their elbows and steered them back the way they came. "Nope, not today."

"What is this?" Sarah cried indignantly. "You said you was going to help us!"

"I am, but we're getting our food honestly. I haven't gotten this far in my travels by stealing. We'll work for what we get."

The girls looked dubious, but followed as Vanessa made her way to a main road. She thought it was the one they had traveled on their way into the city. Could she hope that Sesshoumaru was still near?

Vanessa eyed the storefronts lining the street and settled on what she hoped was an inn. The _Rose and Dagger_ if she read the images on the hanging wooden sign correctly. "Come with me," she urged and entered into the warm, dimly lit room. A fire burned brightly in the hearth, and candles lit each table and hung in sconces on the walls. It was still early so few people were in the common room, but a heavy-set woman bustled about, wiping spotless tables and straightening candles that didn't need straightening.

"Excuse me," Vanessa said. The woman snapped her head up in surprise, quickly covering a look of mild disapproval with a smile.

"Yes, deary. What can I do for you?"

"I… That is, we… were hoping you might have some work we could do in exchange for a bit of food. A loaf of bread, anything."

The woman straightened. "I don't hold to giving handouts to beggars," she said firmly.

"No, that's not what I'm asking. I know we must look a mess, smiling ruefully down at herself. We've been traveling for weeks and haven't had a proper washtub. We'll clean up if you give us a moment so we look more presentable, but whatever you need doing, we can do it. I'm not a very good cook, but I can clean and serve food. If you'll just give us a chance."

"I have maids for all of that," the innkeeper said firmly.

"Please, I've been separated from my traveling companion, and he was holding our money. I can pay you back once I've found him. I hope it'll only be a couple days."

The woman sighed. "Very well. As it happens, one of my girls off and got married, and left me for the country. Can't say as I blame her, what with times being as they are in the city. I'll give you a day to see how you do. You can eat with the rest of my maids and serving girls after midday, and I'll give you something of what bread is left this evening to take with you." She looked hard at Sarah and Rebecca. "I've seen you two and that pack of boys you run with. See that nothing is missing when you leave. They are your responsibility," she said turning her stern gaze toward Vanessa. "I'll take the three of you to the law if I have to."

"You won't be disappointed. I promise."

"Right. Now, what are your names then?"

"I'm Vanessa, and this is Sarah and Rebecca," she said touching the girls' shoulders in turn.

"You can call me Mistress Crawley. There's wash water in the kitchens. You have twenty minutes to clean up then meet me back here. Quickly now."

"Come on," Vanessa said, nudging the girls in the direction Mistress Crawley pointed. "When was the last time you girls had a bath?" She asked when she found the tub of water in the corner of the kitchen.

"Um…" Sarah looked at Rebecca. "We went swimming before it got too cold."

She might have just enough time to scrub the grime from the girls' hands and faces, and maybe their hair. She herself was spotless by comparison, but she'd give herself a quick scrub, just the same.

"Who's first?" Vanessa asked. Rebecca looked dubiously at the water. What was it with children and their aversion to baths? "All right. Oldest first. Sarah, you're up." Vanessa had her bend over the edge and dunk her hair in the water, where she gave it a thorough scrub with the bar of soap she found nearby. She couldn't do much about the tangles right now, but at least she could clean it and tie it up in a bun. She thought she might have a few hairpins left in her bag. With her hair done, Vanessa washed Sarah's face and arms with a soapy cloth, and was taken aback at what she found underneath.

Now she understood why Sarah had said she looked like her mother. Sarah could have been one of her sisters when they were her age. Could they be related somehow? Was it possible that one of her ancestor was this poor girl with nothing to her name but the clothes on her back? Was Vanessa meant to come here and meet this girl? Could she be the reason her own family survived to get to the "New World?" It was too much to think about at the moment with everything else going on. She'd help these kids as much as she could, but right now she had to get them clean. Vanessa left Sarah with a towel to dry her hair and started on Rebecca.

She'd just finished when she heard a disapproving sniff behind her. "Well, your first task will be refilling that basin, won't it? Get to it now."

"Yes, ma'am." Vanessa herded the girls out back to the well and set them to pumping while she carried the buckets inside after first emptying the dirty water from the basin into the yard. It was exhausting, and she was glad beyond belief when the dirty water had been replaced by clean and she could have a break if even just from lugging water.

After hours of scrubbing pots and collecting linens from vacated rooms, _scrubbing_ those linens and wiping down tables after the midday crowd left, Vanessa plopped down on a bench with Rebecca and Sarah, and dug in eagerly to a plate of hot stew and warm bread. It was delicious. She barely noticed Mistress Crowley standing off to the side with her arms folded, just watching them as she chatted quietly with the girls. When they were finished eating, the older woman sent Sarah and Rebecca off to help her own kitchen girls peel potatoes for dinner, but pulled Vanessa aside.

"I've been watching you, girl," she announced without preamble.

Vanessa started. "Did I do something wrong? I'll try harder. Really, I can do this."

"Och, no. A bit clumsy perhaps, but that doesn't concern me. You're not a maid, nor have you ever been, are you, girl?"

She hesitated. "Well, no. I mean… I do my share of chores back home, but nothing on this scale."

"And where is home then? Your accent is as strange as your clothes."

So that's what this was about. Vanessa considered what to tell her, but her only option was partial truths. "It's, well… Far to the east on the other side of Europe. As I said before, I've been separated from my traveling companion – I guess you could call him my guardian. We came here to buy passage across the ocean to meet up with my family already settling on the continent." The lie fell surprisingly smoothly from her lips. Peppered with the truth, she'd have almost believed it herself.

"Hmph. The 'New World.' A fool's errand, if you ask me. How is it you plan on finding this friend of yours if you're here working all day?"

"I have some people looking for him now. I bartered food for their services, but since S- … my friend… was holding our money, I had to find a way to pay them on my own."

Eyeing her shrewdly, the older woman fired off more questions at her. "And if this man is your guardian, as you say he is, why is he not looking for you? How did he lose you in the first place? Why would he leave you alone in this big city?"

"I'm sure he would be looking if he could, but he doesn't speak any English. He's on his own as much as I am, and… and I'm worried about him."

Mistress Crowley hmph'd again, and considered Vanessa skeptically for a long moment, and then her whole demeanor changed. "Finish making up the beds upstairs and take your girls and go."

"But-" Vanessa began, dismayed at not being able to earn even a loaf of bread when left to her own devices, but she was interrupted.

"You three have done enough today to merit a loaf of bread or two."

"Oh!" she cried, hugging the woman on impulse. "Thank you!"

Mistress Crowley chuckled and patted her back. "Come again tomorrow if you still haven't found your man. I'll find some work for you. And bring those girls if you like. They aren't the ragged urchins I thought they would be. A bit of discipline might do them some good. You do have a place to stay, don't you?"

"I'll manage. You've done more than enough already. Again, thank you."

Vanessa hurried upstairs to do as she was told, and when she came back down, Sarah and Rebecca were waiting for her, smiling like little fools, each carrying wrapped bundles under their skinny arms.

"Jack has never brought home this much food!" Sarah whispered while Vanessa collected her bag and cloak. "And it was easy!"

Vanessa smiled at her enthusiasm. "If you work hard tomorrow too, maybe Mistress Crowley will think about keeping you on full time or can tell you who needs a couple hard-working girls. She might even know someone who would need help from the boys too. Do you want to come back with me tomorrow?"

Both girls nodded vigorously. "Let's go back then and get some rest. We'll want to get here early tomorrow." She knew she shouldn't be making promises, when she had no idea whether they would be fulfilled, but she felt she had to get this girl off the street. It could be pure coincidence that they looked so similar, or there could be more at stake. For all she knew, the history she knew of her family happened _because_ she'd been here to point her toward honest work. It was enough to make her brain hurt, all of the what-ifs, and maybes.

She also didn't hold much hope that the boys had found much. If that woman was a witch or some other supernatural being, what were the chances that she would leave a trail to follow?

vVvVvVv

Sesshoumaru awoke feeling disoriented. His head ached, he felt mildly nauseated, and he had no idea where he was. His worst nights of drinking had left him feeling better than this. Above him, a heavy velvet canopy hung from the four posts at the corners of his bed. Matching curtains were partially drawn around him, blocking the predawn light and lending an almost claustrophobic feel compared to his futon at home. He sat up and let the thick down blanket fall away. He was still in his travel clothes, though his armor had been removed and propped on a chest in the corner of the room. As he took a careful look around, he tried to remember anything from the previous day. He was operating under the assumption that Vanessa had piled his things neatly by the wardrobe, but that didn't feel right. There was something…

He sucked in a breath, his eyes widening, as memory slapped him: Vanessa wasn't there. He didn't know where she was, because… Because _he_ had chased her off. _Why_ would he have done that? What could have made him even consider… He remembered a flash of green, and the nothingness that followed. Rage filled him, smothering the sudden and growing concern that Vanessa was lost to him, but he fought it off. Rampaging through this city looking for her would only cause them more trouble than making an effort to calm himself and think rationally. He did know one thing with absolute clarity: he had leave.

Now that his fragmented memory was coming back to him, Sesshoumaru wasn't sure how much time he had lost. He hoped it was only a day or two that he had left Vanessa to fend for herself; he would not tolerate any longer than that. He continued that thought as he put himself together, and left it to muscle memory to secure his armor. They had been doing so well in their travels. Sure, there were a few complications with the dragons, and the bandits, but overall, he was pleased. And now, in mere days, he had lost her, lost himself, and he had no idea where to start looking for her. A wry smile turned his lips. Something about this human caused chaos to focus in on them, no matter where they were. He opened himself and found _her_, somewhere out there. Apart from an undercurrent of worry, she seemed well enough, and he thought he felt a sudden spark of surprise and eagerness from her.

Sesshoumaru tucked his coin purse in his obi and realized that Vanessa must have the rest when he didn't see his own pack in the room. He hoped she had it. She would have found the money if she'd taken stock of their supplies so he should start searching the inns for her. He glanced at the window. Should he risk going through the rest of the house or just take this exit and hope no one thought it suspicious that a man would be climbing out of a bedroom window? He secured Tokijin at his hip, oddly grounded by the familiar battle with the spirit of the sword, and had just put his hand on Tenseiga when a shadow crossed over the window. He glanced up again, eyes narrowed, with a snarl forming on his lips.

A scrawny, disheveled boy, barely into his teens stared wide-eyed back at him, and at nearly the same moment, Sesshoumaru heard footsteps outside his door and whirled, unconcerned about putting his back to a mere boy, when the green-eyed witch was the much greater threat. With the door between them now, he could sense something non-human about her that he hadn't noticed on the street. He'd been caught off guard then with everything else assaulting his senses at the time, but it was very similar to the presence he'd felt on the road.

The door opened and an exquisite woman stepped through. Her auburn hair was a pile of curls on her head, and deep green velvet clung to her subtle curves, accentuating in all the right areas. She was confident, but that self-assured smile fell from her face when she saw him. Apparently, she didn't expect him to be up and aware. Sesshoumaru snarled and prepared to lunge, claws splayed, but she was ready, if a bit panicked. That green light lit up her eyes again, and Sesshoumaru remembered too late to turn his own gaze away. As all of this own thoughts and concerns faded into the recesses of his mind, he slumped and fell to his knees. All that concerned him now was doing as this woman commanded, and though he didn't understand her words, he knew that she was displeased.

vVvVvVv

Vanessa awoke abruptly that morning to strange sensations coming through to her via her bond with Sesshoumaru. After a full day of nothing from him, the sudden burst of rage was so intense she sat up with a gasp. _That_ was what she knew he should be feeling. It energized her to know that he was somehow fighting the witch's hold on him. She wished she knew what had triggered it so she could produce it again if he needed it. Eventually the rage receded, but it felt strained, like he was struggling to gain control of himself. She was familiar with that too. He settled into what she thought of as "focused calm," that feeling she got from him when he was processing, working out details, and planning his next move. It wasn't the eerie neutrality of yesterday, just… focused calm.

The boys had already left before she woke up, and Sarah and Rebecca were watching her warily. She ignored them and felt as though she were sitting on the edge of her seat just reading her connection with Sesshoumaru. Things were changing with him. In just a few moments, he ran the gambit of surprise to realization, back to a flash of rage, and all too quickly, it was just gone.

Vanessa released the breath she'd been holding, and exhaled in a rush. She couldn't imagine the look on her face, but she felt horrified. To have had that taste of freedom, and then have it snatched away again must have been awful. Sarah and Rebecca were eyeing her warily. "I have to help him," she breathed. No one should be held against their will, but Sesshoumaru least of all. He was so strong a person, and had been so good to her; he didn't deserve this.

"Come on," she said, quickly gathering her things and getting herself ready to see Mistress Crowley. Maybe she had heard of strangers in town and could help her. She hadn't thought of it yesterday, choosing to limit who she trusted, but the woman had been kind to her and the girls. She had to try.

She took a breath, and was shocked to see Jack stalking toward her. Was it later than she thought it was? What could he be doing back so soon?

He stopped just a few feet away and threw a stick at her feet.

"Hey!" she cried, hopping back to save her toes.

"You didn't tell us everything," he accused.

Vanessa glanced down and felt absurdly mixed feelings when she recognized the "stick" as one of Sesshoumaru's swords. She loosened the blade in its scabbard and touched the edge. When she felt it slide over her skin, she knew it was Tenseiga. How had he gotten it? Even in this state, how had Sesshoumaru allowed it? At the same time… Jack knew where he was.

"Take me to him," she whispered.

Jack shook his head. "You never told us he was taken by the witch. You said he was lost."

Vanessa clutched the sword and held it close. "I didn't know what she was. I have to help him. Please."

"I'm not going back there. She won't take me too."

"Please, Jack. Just point out where he is. You don't have to do anything more than that."

He grumbled, but finally relented when Sarah added her support to the argument. He had a soft spot for the girl, Vanessa had come to realize over the past couple days, and she was grateful for that now. "Come on then. Keep up."

"Why don't you girls go ahead to the inn and I'll catch up?" she suggested to the other girls.

"But we want to help you," Rebecca protested.

"I know, sweetheart, and I appreciate that, but I don't know how safe it is right now, and I need someone to tell Mistress Crowley that I'll be late."

They agreed reluctantly, and she promised to hurry back to them with or without Sesshoumaru. Her hope was "with."

"Let's go, Jack," she said, and he wasn't kidding when he'd told her to keep up.

He darted from shadow to shadow, over obstacles, nimble as a cat until Vanessa was thoroughly lost and had no choice BUT to keep up. Finally the boy stopped and pointed at a stone wall. "He's there," he said. "I'll… keep watch," he conceded. "But I won't go in there if you get yourself in trouble."

"Thank you."

Vanessa clambered up the uneven stones of the wall, barely finding handholds at times. At the top, she looked down in surprise. Right there in the garden below was none other than Sesshoumaru. With all the noise she'd been making – though she tried to be quiet – she was shocked he hadn't intercepted her. She glanced around worriedly, but didn't see anyone else. He appeared to be alone in the small garden. Why would he be out here in the cold just sitting there?

She had to risk it… "Psst," she hissed. "Sesshoumaru." His back was to the wall and to her, but he cocked his head just a bit at the sound of her voice. "Sesshoumaru, come on. We have to get out of here. Please."

He still showed no recognition, which hurt, but she knew that wasn't his fault. Vanessa slipped a little on the wall and knew her time was limited. That woman was sure to be back any minute.

"Sesshoumaru, you know me. Just trust me, we have to go." Her head snapped up at the sound of boot heels inside the house, and with a frustrated cry she pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and dropped it down on him. She'd gotten them from Mistress Crowley the day before and had kept one close to her skin since then, hoping that her scent would be familiar to him and trigger his memory. "I'll be back for you," she whispered and dropped down from the wall. She lost her balance as she hit the ground and landed on her rear. As she ran out of the alley, trying not to shed frustrated tears, she didn't see Sesshoumaru lift the handkerchief to his nose or tuck that bit of cloth out of sight into his sleeve.

Vanessa ran past Jack and didn't stop for several blocks before leaning back against a wall and gulping breaths, trying to bring herself under control. This was too much for her. She didn't know how she could help him if she couldn't get him to recognize her.

"Miss," Jack said, patting her shoulder awkwardly. "It'll turn out right," he said, though he didn't sound so sure of it himself.

"I don't know how to help him." She felt helpless. She'd found him, but she didn't know what to do with that knowledge. "I'll be okay," she said when Jack only watched her silently. "I'll just go to the inn and think about this. Thank you, Jack. I really appreciate this. It's better just knowing where he is."

The boy eyed her skeptically and walked her to the inn. Where he disappeared to after that, she couldn't say, but after a brief scolding from Mistress Crowley, she put her focus on her work. It kept her from worrying until she could work out a plan to get him out of that house. She was scrubbing down the tables after lunch when a flash of silvery white hair caught her eye through the front window. She froze and watched Sesshoumaru's tall form practically glide past the door. She didn't think beyond snatching her backpack with Tenseiga wrapped in a blanket and strapped to the outside. She just hurried out after him.

The witch woman walked beside him, with her arm tucked in his. Vanessa was disgusted and just a little bit jealous at the sight of her touching him. He was _hers._ This woman had no right to take him away from her, not after everything they had been through together.

Vanessa followed them from a distance, her anger building the longer she watched them. It was like this woman had him on display for the city to see. His long hair flowed down his back, swaying with him as he walked and fluttering in the breeze. Where was his cloak? Heads and eyes turned as he passed, and neutralized as he was, people still gave him a wide berth, just has they had when they entered the city. He wasn't some prize to be paraded about, and it only fueled her anger to be watching this.

Sesshoumaru slowed for a moment then shook his head and picked up his pace until he caught up again. The witch looked at him briefly and retook his arm. Vanessa needed to find a way to get them out of this crowd.

Suddenly, like a gift, her opportunity appeared. The pair ahead of her ducked down a side street and when Vanessa peeked around the corner, it was empty. She only had to wait for them to come out of whatever shop they'd entered. The one she thought most likely was some kind of apothecary if the displays in the windows were any indication. She crouched beside the steps leading up to the door and waited. It was almost unbearable as the minutes ticked by, and she had to keep shifting positions to keep her legs from cramping, but finally, _finally_, she heard a pair of footsteps coming toward the door. She would have to risk Sesshoumaru defending this woman, but she didn't care anymore. She would give everything she had if he could just be free again.

Sesshoumaru led the way down the stairs. He paused at the bottom and sniffed delicately, cocking his head just a fraction, and Vanessa waited on bated breath, praying he wouldn't turn and give her away, but he only proceeded a few steps down the street. The witch woman followed a moment later, and when she stepped down to street level, Vanessa leapt at her, a feral scream tearing out of her throat. Later, she would admit it was a cat fight, and they were fighting over a man, but she was fighting for this particular man's _freedom_. That made all the difference in her mind.

Vanessa leapt onto the woman's back, tackling her to the ground and rolling once or twice on the pavement. She wrapped her arm around the other woman's neck and squeezed. Her brother wouldn't have done his job if he hadn't taught her an effective sleeper hold. The woman was stunned and didn't fight back right away; she was clearly not used physical confrontation. "You can't have him," Vanessa hissed.

Despite her lack of oxygen, the witch actually laughed. "That's where you're wrong, lass. Aid me, pet!" she called out.

Vanessa whipped her head around, trying not to loosen her hold as she did so, and looked for Sesshoumaru. He stood stock still in the street, and looked like… was he shaking? She let go with one hand and took a fistful of hair and yanked. The witch shrieked in pain.

"Let him go," Vanessa demanded. "He doesn't belong to you."

"I have power," the other woman snarled. "I take what I please, and no one can stop me. Least of all you!"

The witch got an elbow free and swung it back into Vanessa's ribs, jarring her and loosening her hold. She squirmed and twisted and finally broke free. Panting, she got to her feet and sneered at her. "You think he wants to stay with you? You're nothing. He's been perfectly content with me."

"You're lying," Vanessa growled and lunged. Before she knew what she was doing, she had her hands around the other woman's throat. She was careful not to look into her eyes. She wasn't sure, but she thought that was how she'd taken control of Sesshoumaru. At first the witch just clawed at her arms, but then her face twisted and she reached for Vanessa's own throat. "He is mine now, little girl," she croaked, and pushed Vanessa back against a wall. "Give up." Something had to give. One of them would have to let go. Lack of oxygen was starting to get to her now.

But Vanessa remembered this. Sesshoumaru taught her this one. She let go of the other woman's throat and brought her fists down on her arms to break her hold, and stomped on her foot and shoved while she was off balance, following her down to the ground and rolling with her, both trying to keep the other from getting up. "He's just… a toy to you," Vanessa panted. She'd gotten in one good punch, but now struggled to get the witch off of her. "Don't you even care that he's a _person_? He has a life and responsibilities, and people who care about him. He's _good._ Doesn't that mean anything to you? And what happens when you break your 'toy?' What then?"

"I get a new one," the witch sneered, hauling Vanessa to her feet and shoving her back into the wall again. The witch had drawn extra strength from somewhere and sent Vanessa into the wall with more force than before; her head cracked against the bricks, making stars break out across her vision. "But this one isn't broken… yet. I think I'd like to keep him around a while." She pinned Vanessa to the wall with a forearm across her neck while she was still shaking off the blow.

"I told you, you can't have him," Vanessa snarled, fighting the pain in her head. "He's _mine!_" She'd slipped her slender blade from her sleeve and prepared to drive it into the other woman's side when she suddenly felt something sharp prick her skin, right between her breasts. She looked down and was shocked to find claw-tipped fingers emerging from the witch's chest.

"Never. Again." a savage snarl ripped through the air, making Vanessa's hair stand on end.

Sesshoumaru loomed behind the witch, the sclera of his eyes glowing crimson, his irises brilliant turquoise, and his pupils mere points of black. His fangs looked longer, sharper, and there was nothing remotely "human" about his appearance now. In a word, he was terrifying.

"You will not harm what is mine." He pulled his hand free with a sick squelching sound and left her to stagger away from Vanessa. She looked down at the hole through her and tried to suck in a few stunned breaths.

"But… How?" she wheezed and fell to the ground where she exhaled her last breath with a sigh and then was still.

Vanessa stared at Sesshoumaru, and when calm didn't return to him, she bent quickly to cut a strip from the witch's skirts before returning her blade to its place in her sleeve. She tossed on her backpack and returned to Sesshoumaru, who only stared down at the corpse. They had to get out of there before someone came to check out the commotion. It was a wonder no one had come yet with the shop being right there. She moved quickly to Sesshoumaru's side and reached for his hand. He couldn't be wandering the city covered in blood and viscera.

She had to swallow several times to keep the bile rising in her throat at bay. She refused to be sick now. "Let me," she said softly.

He growled at her, making her flinch, but she took his hand and began wiping away the blood as well as she could with a dry cloth. They needed water to do a better job. When she dared meet his eyes again, they were back to normal, only a ring of crimson around his golden irises, but the look on his face was icy cold.

The moment she gave up cleaning what remained of the blood in the creases of his hand and fingers, Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrist in an iron grip and pulled her along down the street, leaving her stumbling to keep up with him. He didn't run, but his pace and his long legs were too much for her. "Sesshoumaru, wait. I can't keep up!"

He growled low to himself and swung her onto his back. With a grunt of impact, she hurried to grab on. He barely glanced around him for observers before taking to the rooftops. Leaping lightly from peak to peak. "Where are you going?" Vanessa tried to ask, but he ignored her.

Finally, he left the rooftops and landed lightly in the garden she'd found him in that morning. "What are we doing here?" she hissed. Wouldn't the woman have other people around?

"Collecting my things," he snarled, and let her slide to the ground while he stalked inside. She hurried after him.

He made his way swiftly upstairs and down the hall to a lavish room filled with velvet and cushions. Vanessa could only imagine what the witch had planned for him here. When he went inside, she realized that this _was_ where he had stayed. What had the witch done to him? Did she even want to know? Sesshoumaru paused and turned to look at her with a frown then turned back to the task at hand.

Sesshoumaru took his cloak off a peg in the wall and threw it about his shoulders. He looked almost relieved to be able to draw up the hood. Then he threw the thick fur pelt over his shoulder. Once secure, he reached out, paused, then whirled, eyes scanning the room wildly. "Where is it?" he growled as though to himself.

Almost in a rage, he began tossing cushions and tearing curtains. He tore open the wardrobe and pulled out clothes of velvet, silk and fur, tossing them carelessly to the ground.

"Where is what?" Vanessa asked softly, not sure if this was a lingering effect of the witch's spell.

He turned the full force of his gaze on her then, crimson swirling into his eyes once more. "Where is my father's sword?"

"Tenseiga? I… I have it."

Sesshoumaru advanced on her, and she matched him with three steps back, heart pounding in her chest, once again afraid of him. He'd become unpredictable since they'd been apart, and it scared her that she didn't know what he'd been through, what he would do now. They hadn't had a chance to talk. He stopped as he sensed her fear, but his gaze on her was cold. "Give it to me," he commanded. "Now. Do as I say."

She was already unwrapping the bundle from her blanket, and stiffened at his tone. This was _not_ her fault. She was tempted to draw the blade, but it would be stupid to match her nonexistent skill against his mastery. There was also the fact that its edge was useless against living flesh.

So she flung it at him.

"Take it," she spat. _Let it hit his thick head._

Naturally, he caught it, and while he stared after her in stunned silence, Vanessa stomped out of the room. Sesshoumaru caught up to her again in the foyer and reached for her hand. "Vanessa, wait."

"Don't _touch_ me!" she cried, yanking her hand away, even as he let go as though her skin burned him. She could actually feel how much her words stung him, but she held onto her anger tooth and nail. His behavior was not fair to her, and they both needed to just cool down, recover, and reassess. She knew that. But did he?

She stopped in the doorway and whirled on him, freezing him in his tracks. "I get that the past couple days have been horrible. I can't even imagine losing all control of myself. You must be angry and need to feel some control over your life again. You wouldn't have even been in London if it wasn't for me, but don't you _dare_ take this out on me. I tried to get you to stop. I tried to get you away! But you were so focused on _her_ that you didn't even hear a word I said. You don't get to order me around now."

Vanessa turned again and started out the door before her supporting anger could escape. She wouldn't show weakness now. She _saved him._ Sure he'd struck the killing blow, but she hadn't been far behind him.

It was late, almost dark by the time they left the house so she didn't bother going to the inn to collect the girls. Mistress Crowley would have sent them home by now – she hoped, and they didn't speak a word until Vanessa ducked under the bridge that had been her temporary home.

"What are we doing here?" Sesshoumaru asked finally, very softly, concern evident on his face. He _knew_, but he didn't want to believe it.

"Under your own control or not, you spent the last few days in the lap of luxury. I spent them here."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. "Why?" he breathed. "Why would you not stay at an inn?"

"Because," she began. "How could I know if that… that _witch_ would leave your things alone or if she would just take anything she wanted. Like your money." _Like you,_ she thought but didn't say. "I couldn't spend what was left without risking one or both of our tickets across the ocean, not until I found you and knew what our situation was."

Sesshoumaru touched the pouch tucked in his sash. The coins inside clinked with that small movement. Vanessa sighed. "Well, now we know." She could have stayed at an inn after all. But then she wouldn't have met Sarah and Jack and the others.

"Come," Sesshoumaru began then paused, looking at Vanessa uncertainly. "That is, we should find an inn for the night. This is no place to continue weathering the cold."

"Not yet," she protested as she stepped deeper into the gloom beneath the bridge. "Sarah? Jack, are you here?"

Like little ghosts, both Sarah and Jack emerged from the shadows followed by the four others huddled behind them.

Vanessa turned to Sesshoumaru. "If we stay at an inn tonight, they are coming with us."

He looked about to object, but then beckoned her to the edge where it was brighter. "Vanessa, we cannot take them with us."

"I know that, and I don't mean to. It's just… they helped me find you. If not for them, I don't think I could have done it on my own. These kids really know this city. Just one night, that's all I'm asking. Hot food, a warm bed, and then we can move on. I want to leave this place as soon as possible, but I want to do something to thank them first."

Sesshoumaru shook his head with a sigh and glanced over at the children. "Very well. We will have to get two rooms. You stay with the girls and I… I will stay with the boys."

Vanessa smiled a little. "They're a handful. You don't think the language barrier will be an issue?"

"I will manage," he growled, and Vanessa was sure he would.

Mistress Crowley was more than accommodating when Vanessa brought her lost "guardian" to meet her. At Vanessa's request, Sesshoumaru had thrown back his hood upon entering the kitchen. The rest of the staff was off for the evening or eating their suppers so it was just the stern innkeeper.

"Mistress Crawley, I'm sorry I ran off so suddenly this afternoon, but I found Sesshoumaru, the man I told you about."

"Oh my heavens," she exclaimed when faced with the full effect of Sesshoumaru. His hair covered his pointed ears, but Vanessa had a feeling that they might have been overshadowed by the markings on his skin, the color of his eyes, and the style of his clothes.

The woman eyed his dual swords and bone armor critically, frowned and the blood on his hand and stood up to his intensity before turning to Vanessa with a nod. "Aye, a right guardian, he is. And for all of his strangeness, handsome at that," she said with a wink. "It is good you found him, girl," she said and patted her shoulder before leaving them to go take care of her inn. She hadn't said anything about the state of her clothes or the blood and bruises, and for that she was grateful.

She set them up in adjoining rooms at the end of a hall with four tubs of hot water for baths and orders to send for more whenever they needed it. Vanessa was thankful for that. She would definitely not be using someone else's bathwater. Promise of real payment had further improved the innkeeper's opinion of Sesshoumaru, and if they wanted to bring scrawny children in from the cold, at least they would be clean scrawny children. "And they better behave themselves," she warned with a pointed look at all three girls.

After much splashing and watery mayhem, everyone was clean and dry for the first time in a good long while. Mistress Crowley had some clothes that the children could borrow while theirs were washed and hung up to dry by the fire. Once dressed, Vanessa rounded them up and took them downstairs to dinner, silently praying that they would remember whatever manners they were taught before their lives on the street.

They sat out of the way at a trestle table along the wall, and Mistress Crawley herself brought their food. She had a warm smile for Sarah and Rebecca, and Vanessa hoped that meant she might look after them once she left.

If the kids ate greedily, she couldn't blame them. She limited how much of the rich dessert pie they ate, but she still thought they were sure to have bellyaches later. For all of their bluster and bravado, they really were good kids and deserved so much better than what life had thrown at them. It wasn't fair.

She caught Sesshoumaru watching her as she interacted with them. They still hadn't really cleared the air from earlier, and that hurt her heart. They needed to talk, but what was there to say? She was only trying to help him – she _did_ help him, and he turned around and treated her like one of his servants, ordering her around. She had to give him some credit though; he did concede enough to get two rooms for everyone tonight rather than one for just the two of them, but that didn't lessen the hurt.

Upstairs after dinner, Vanessa smiled from the doorway as she watched the boys having a pillow fight on the big four-poster bed in their room. Sesshoumaru had moved a smaller bed near the door to her room, and sat atop it, legs crossed, eyes closed, apparently meditating despite the noise, but she felt him. She also felt a tug on her sleeve. "Miss Vanessa?"

She crouched down to Rebecca's level. "Yes, little one, what is it?"

Rebecca looked at her shyly now, rocking back on her heels with her hands clasped behind her back. "Would you braid my hair?"

"Of course I will," she said with a grin. "Good night, boys," she called over her shoulder and shut the door behind her. She heard a pause in the noise and a muffled "Good night," on the other side.

"Would you like yours done too, Sarah?"

The girl nodded vigorously, and Vanessa spent the next hour combing out the tangles and braiding the girls' hair into long plaits down their backs. The girls pranced around the room giggling and pretending they were fine ladies, and when they were all yawning, she suggested they turn in for the night. Since there were only the two girls, Vanessa hadn't bothered to find a cot and settled herself in the center with their little bodies tucked on either side of her. It was nice, and she would miss them, she realized. She'd known them only days, but these girls had been with her every step of the way. And they reminded her of Rin. She wanted to do more for them. They were good kids, and fate had dealt them a bad hand, but Sesshoumaru was right. They couldn't take them with them.

Vanessa kissed them both on their foreheads and closed her eyes. Silence had fallen on the other side of the door, and she thought about going to talk to Sesshoumaru, but she couldn't. Not yet. Vanessa lay with her eyes closed, trying to get to sleep, but her mind was awhirl with activity – mostly revolving around Sesshoumaru. What had happened to him in the days he was gone? They hadn't had a moment to talk.

To be fair, she hadn't _let_ them have a moment. He had tried once or twice – or looked like he wanted to talk anyway, but she wasn't sure she wanted to yet. After barring the boys from the room, she'd never give the okay to open the door again, and the girls were having too much fun pretending to be ladies that they didn't notice.

She lay awake for what seemed like a long while thinking about him, about why she still felt so hurt by the whole ordeal. He couldn't help leaving her in the beginning. He was bewitched, and she couldn't blame him for his reaction afterward, when he'd spent days under the complete control of someone else. Now she realized she wasn't being fair to him, just has she had accused him of being unfair to her earlier. Too confusing after so much uncertainty the past few days.

Around midnight, as best she could judge, the door dividing the rooms creaked as it was slowly pushed open.The motion stopped, and Vanessa held her breath until it was pushed the rest of the way. Bare feet padded almost noiselessly across the wooden floor to stop just a few feet away. Vanessa might have opened her eyes to greet him, but real or not, the pain of betrayal still stung.

"Vanessa," Sesshoumaru murmured, but she kept her breathing even, feigning sleep. He must know she wasn't asleep, and she was sure he knew that she knew he knew, but he only retreated with a resigned sigh. That small sound hurt her almost as much as his behavior earlier, but in an entirely different way. The direction her thoughts were taking her were too frightening. Nothing solid had coalesced in her mind, but her train of thought had only one destination: Sesshoumaru.

Hesitantly, she inched back out from under the covers and followed his retreat into the other room. Sesshoumaru hadn't closed the door all the way. As she peeked through the opening, she was struck by the sight of him. He lay on his cot, head pillowed on his rolled cloak, bathed in moonlight from the open shutters, and apparently sleeping. He looked peaceful, at ease.

Vanessawas about to back away and retreat to her bed, when Sesshoumaru's eyes opened. They reflected the moonlight and shone back an eerie light like a wolf or fox's eyes. He silently lifted the edge of his blanket in open invitation, but said nothing. She could take it or leave it; that was up to her.

Vanessa took a deep breath and slipped into the room.

In the splash of moonlight spilling through the windowpanes, she saw the boys sprawled on the larger bed, limbs overlapping and poking out from under the quilts as if they had wrestled before crashing headfirst into exhausted slumber. She straightened the quilt as much as she could to cover them and turned. Sesshoumaru lay on the smaller bed near the door, his back to the far wall. He waited patiently for her to accept or reject his peace offering.

She accepted.

She lay with her back to him on the small cot, feeling awkward despite all of the time they had spent together. She knew why it had hurt so much, and she was on the verge of admitting it to herself, when he spoke.

"I made you fear me," he murmured next to her ear. "I felt it the first time, but could make no sense of it, nor could I stop myself. I deeply regret that." He took a few breaths. "The second, I was being foolish. You had every right to be angry, and you were right. I was angry, and you were the nearest target. I… I apologize. I never wanted to experience your fear of me. I never wanted you to fear me. I cannot take it back, but I can do everything in my power to prevent it in the future."

"It hurt," Vanessa whispered, matching his tone so as not to wake the boys lying in an exhausted heap only a few feet away. "I didn't understand how you could just leave, and then when I finally got you back, it was like you didn't care what I had gone through to find you."

"I did care. I do care." he brushed her hair back off her forehead gently, his claws barely touching her skin. "It shames me to think that you were staying under a bridge when I should have been looking after you. What if something had happened to you? Truly, Vanessa, I am sorry I hurt you, and I am sorry I was not there for you when you needed me."

She'd never heard him apologize for anything. She'd felt it, felt his remorse at times, but he'd never said the words. It meant a lot to her to hear them. Vanessa rolled over and pressed her forehead to his chest so she wouldn't have to look him in the eye. "I _missed_ you," she whispered. "So much."

Heart pounding, she couldn't hold it back any longer. Saburo was right all along; she loved this man. She did, but he could never love her in return. She bit the inside of her lip hard to keep the tears from spilling over at this realization. What was she going to do? Sesshoumaru saved her from further thought by slipping his arm around her and holding her tightly to him.

"I know," he breathed. "I know."

He was warm, and solid, and real, and she had him back. For as little time as they had left, she had him back.

A/N: And OMG over 15000 words! I tried to break it up, really, but there just wasn't a good place.

I apologize if you thought I was dead. Not dead, just very, very busy.

I also apologize if parts of this were a bit rough… it's… *ahem* …been a while.

So I spent the past couple weeks (months) going back through each chapter, refreshing my memory on the flow, remembering a few things I had since forgot, and cringing at the roughness of the early chapters. To all of you who have stuck with me, I really appreciate it. Now I've got my little world in my head again and I hope I continue to live up to your standards.

Also, in working on this, I got sidetracked on a little ch 28 tangent and worked out a scene that's been giving me trouble for **literally** years. Yay!


	28. Chapter 28

Into the East

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Anchors Aweigh!

Posted: 3 March 2013

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me, so basically everything but Sesshoumaru at this point.

A/N: Much faster turnaround this time :) Comes with losing my job, I suppose, but hopefully that will be remedied soon. Enjoy!

Sesshoumaru cracked an eye open at the sound of giggling near the doorway between the rooms. The two small girls, Sarah and Rebecca Vanessa had called them, were peering through a gap in the door the size of their faces. He wanted to hush them, to tell them to let Vanessa sleep, but he thought it even more likely that she would wake up to that than the soft sounds the girls were making. He did open his eyes and frown at them, however, making them gasp and scamper back into the other room, and he couldn't help feeling a smug sense of accomplishment. A few more moments of peace before the boys woke up.

The boys were as well behaved as pre-adolescent human males could be. They wrestled and roughhoused, but when he'd doused the lamps and got into his own bed, they got the idea without the need for words. He was grateful for that. From the look of them, they'd simply fallen asleep where they lay, regardless of the fact that it may have been atop one of their adoptive brothers.

Vanessa hadn't moved at all in the night. After a veritable firestorm of emotions erupted from her, she'd passed out clutching the front of his clothes, and was content to let her sleep. He couldn't even begin to sort out everything that had washed over him via their bond at the time. He only knew it was warm and inviting, and somehow something precious, yet also something that terrified her. If only he knew what he could do to ease her fear. And just as Vanessa hadn't let go of him in the hours they were asleep, he hadn't let go of her either. He liked the feel of her warm body close to his, the sound of her breathing, the beat of her heart, the scent of her so near it seemed to envelop him. They had shared a fire and slept beside each other often recently to share warmth, but something was different this time.

He would have to tread carefully now. Her heart was a fragile thing, and whether he'd been aware of it or not, he had betrayed her trust too many times already. He thought he should pull away now, while she was still asleep, but he found he simply couldn't let her go.

Maybe it was their link, or maybe he had grown accustomed to the feel of her brushing against his consciousness at all times, but her presence centered him in ways he hadn't known possible, made him forget the helplessness he'd felt at discovering someone had taken control of his mind. Death was too light a punishment for what that creature had done to him, but she'd had her hands on Vanessa, and he could not allow that. His human was in danger, and that was all that had mattered at the time.

He vaguely recalled the flash of steel in Vanessa's hands as the other woman fell, and smiled. Perhaps she could have taken care of herself, but now she didn't need to burden herself with the death of another, whereas one more on a long list of kills was nothing to Sesshoumaru. She wouldn't view it the same way that he did. His heart began beating erratically as he thought of the alternative – if he hadn't been there to help, or if she hadn't been able to defend herself or… or if he hadn't come back to himself in time. How close had he been to killing her himself? He took a long, slow breath in an attempt to steady himself and not wake her.

She didn't even stir. Sesshoumaru sighed contentedly. It was done now. They were back together, and they were both safe. He was content to lie beside her for a while longer; he would miss these quiet times, and he knew that they would be all too few in the coming days.

Slowly, the boys began to awaken. When they started talking excitedly, and before they could start jumping on the bed again, he risked a low growl and pointed toward the door dividing the rooms. They fell silent and scurried out, the smallest of them making a small "meep" sound as he scurried passed.

Sesshoumaru frowned. They would have to go soon. He had no ties to those children. Let them fend for themselves, as far as he was concerned. They had done so up until that point. Vanessa would disapprove of such thinking of course. She would want a proper good-bye. "Vanessa," he said softly, trying to wake her gently. "It is time to wake up."

He waited for her sleepy protests.

"Vanessa?" he tried again, brow furrowing when still she didn't stir. He shook her shoulder gently, and she rolled away from him a bit as he did so.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened.

In the light of morning, he could see the scrapes and bruises she'd gotten defending him. He hadn't noticed them before, but the bruises had darkened on her skin overnight. He tried to think back to her battle, but couldn't remember much of anything prior to seeing her pinned against the wall and struggling.

He pulled up her sleeves and found long scratches on her forearms, glistening and only partially scabbed over. She had a raw scrape on her elbow and more bruises coloring her arms. Growing more concerned, he pulled open her collar to check her neck and shoulders. The morning light was dim on this side of the inn, but he could see more of the same: dark bruises encircling her neck, though her thick travel clothes had helped to otherwise protect her skin from the scratches that lined her arms.

Heart in his throat, he reached behind her head and probed her scalp gently with his fingertips, and froze when he felt a knot the size of an egg under her skin and the crust of dried blood in her hair despite her bath last night. Why hadn't she said anything? "Vanessa," he said feeling an intense sense of urgency now. "Vanessa, wake up."

He threw off the blanket and leapt lightly over her and out of the bed, searching briefly for her bag. Of course it wouldn't be in this room, he realized, growling softly to himself in frustration. Sesshoumaru hurried into the other room where he found the pack next to the girls' bed and began digging through it for the instant light – the flashlight – Kagome had given her. It was small, but very bright.

The children crowded around him now, asking questions he couldn't hope to comprehend. They knew something wasn't right, but he didn't have time for this. He ignored them and closed the door behind him.

As an afterthought, Sesshoumaru had grabbed the white box that contained her first aid supplies. She was in no danger from bleeding now, but there might be something in there she would need when she awakened and could tell him what was wrong.

Sesshoumaru knew little of the healing arts beyond what it took to keep someone alive until proper healers were summoned, even less when it came to humans. What might be a discomfort for youkai for a day or two could be severely life threatening to humans, and he was helpless now to know if that was the case here. She'd been conscious and talking, laughing even, last night, and he the thought never occurred to him that she could have sustained any serious injury.

However, based on his centuries of experience and observation, he did know that in many cases with injuries to the head, the eyes were the key. Kneeling at the bedside, he clicked the light on as he'd seen Vanessa do so many times, and, with the flashlight in his teeth, he gently opened her eyelids one after the other, and quickly flashed the light at them in turn as he had seen healers do before with flares and magicks at home. What he lacked in training, he made up for in simple observation, and it was some relief that her eyes instantly reacted when the light passed over them. Her eyes, at least, were alive beneath their lids, and that was where he came to the edge of his knowledge and sat back on his heels, completely at a loss as to what to do from there.

A proper healer, a doctor, Vanessa had called the healers in this part of the world, would know what to do. But how was he to make his need known? He supposed he could drag the old innkeeper up with the hope that she would understand and help, but he hoped it would not come to that.

Vanessa would wake up soon. She was fine... She had to be. It was inconceivable that he could have failed in his task to such a degree that she had been permanently and irreparably harmed defending _him_.

He leaned over her and lightly caressed her face with the back of his fingers. "Vanessa, I need you to wake up now," he said, loudly enough that she should have awoken. "I need you to tell me where it hurts."

_Everywhere_, he thought, kicking himself for every one of her injuries. He should never have let this happen. He should have done something – but… what could he have done? He reached out hesitantly, and gently took her hand in his. It was warm and soft, and when he held it to his chin, he could imagine her squeezing her fingers around his, always seeking to reassure him, whether he needed and desired it or not. He needed that reassurance now. For a moment, he couldn't think. He was unaccustomed to the worry he felt for her, the worry that she stirred within him whenever things weren't exactly as they should be.

"We are not yet finished here," he murmured against her skin. "I need you with me now." He lightly kissed her fingers and closed his eyes, holding her hand against his forehead, squeezing lightly. He didn't know of anything else that he could do but wait. She was alive, but at the moment, certainly not well.

Finally, _finally_, she gasped as her eyes flew open, and with a cry of pain, she rolled onto her side and out of his grasp, clutching her head. "My head… it hurts," she whimpered.

It was a sound that sliced through him like a knife.

Sesshoumaru pulled out the bottle of bitter white tablets. They had never done anything for him, but they seemed to relieve her pain when she was sore from riding or when other aches ailed her. He passed it to her – he never had been able to manage the lid – and turned toward a sound at the door. The eldest of the two girls – Sarah? – held out a mug of warm cider. Thoughtful.

"Arigatou," he said softly and nodded. He passed the mug to Vanessa, who took it and gulped down several of the pills.

"I'm all right," she said, somewhat hoarsely. She felt his concern. "I'm fine. It just feels like someone is taking a jackhammer to my skull." She sat up and winced. "You never told me fighting for my life would make me so sore," she accused with a teasing tone.

Sesshoumaru was not amused.

"I could not wake you," he said, fighting for calm.

Vanessa stared at him. "What?" Her brow furrowed, and she shook her head. "But... It's been weeks now. I'm fine."

He'd been thinking along the same lines. He had hoped that she had recovered from her fainting spells on the road. Perhaps it was her fight. Something must have triggered it.

"You hit your head."

"Oh," she said, reaching to touch the spot and sucked in a sharp breath in pain. "That. I guess I did."

"Why didn't you say something?"

Vanessa shrugged. "There was so much going on last night. It didn't seem important at the time. I don't have a concussion. I would have known yesterday."

Sesshoumaru touched her bloodied knuckles, bruised arms, her cheek, her split lip. "Do not keep something like this to yourself. What if it was worse than just a bump on your head?"

She nodded, tears suddenly welling up in her eyes. Sesshoumaru was alarmed – what had he done now? But before he could ask, she threw her arms around his neck. "You're still you," she whispered. "She didn't change you."

"Of course not. It would take more than the likes of her to move me to change No, she did not change me."

Sesshoumaru pulled a white square cloth from his sleeve and touched it lightly below her eyes to dry her tears before giving it to her with what he hoped was a small reassuring smile. He had a vague memory of her leaving that with him during his captivity. Her scent on it had been reassuring even if he hadn't known why.

"Are you _sure_ you're all right?" Vanessa asked, accepting the handkerchief and dabbing at her eyes and nose.

His smile faltered. "Of course. Why?"

"This," she said, circling an accusatory finger at his face. "You don't smile."

"I do," he replied with a frown, refusing the childish argument he could feel coming on. Do too. Do not. Do too. Nuh-uh… It just wouldn't be dignified for someone of his status. That small change in his expression further proved her point.

"Rarely, and you know it."

He just raised an eyebrow at her. Centuries of practice had him slipping back to a neutral expression as easily as thought.

Vanessa smiled up at him and hugged him again. It felt so unusually good to have her arms around him, that he missed her warmth when she let go.

She sat back with her hands on his shoulders. "It's so good to have you back. You have no idea how worried I was about you."

Her posture caused her sleeves to pull back from her wrists, revealing a dark band of bruises on her left wrist. Sesshoumaru winced as he noticed it. That one was all his doing. That was how he repaid her for releasing him. That was how he repaid her worry.

Vanessa pulled her sleeve down and looked away. "It's all right," she said softly.

"It isn't," he objected. "I am here to protect you, not to hurt you."

"Look, you weren't thinking clearly. I get that. You were being an ass, but you apologized. I accept. Let's just leave it at that. I know that isn't you." She met his eyes again, but he saw her rub her wrist unconsciously.

He huffed a short breath that might have been a laugh and shook his head. "Yes, I suppose you are right about my behavior. Very well."

Being out of his mind was not an excuse, but if she wanted to drop the matter, he would respect that and be grateful for it. And he would do better in the future.

Vanessa smiled with him. "Good," she said brightly. "Let's get dressed and round up the kids for breakfast."

Sesshoumaru followed Vanessa silently into the other room, and just observed as the children crowded around her, firing off questions, some of them hugging her. What was it about this woman that drew strangers to her like moths to a flame? These children had known her for mere days, and their lot in life gave them little reason to trust in strangers, yet here they were, clustered around her, making sympathetic noises over her injuries and otherwise acting as if they had known her for years. It was remarkable.

One boy stood apart from the rest, though… Jack, was it? watching the scene much as Sesshoumaru himself was. His eyes were calculating as he watched the others, and Sesshoumaru could see something of himself in the boy. These were his pack, his family, and it would take more than a few days of kindness to win him over.

He approved. The boy was young, but he would do what he had to in order to keep the others safe. Odds were, he would be more relieved than sorry to see Sesshoumaru and Vanessa go, and get back to something like normalcy. He almost wanted to tell that boy not to bother searching for "normal" again. Vanessa left change in her wake. These children, even that boy would be different, better, for having known her.

It didn't surprise him anymore to think that. Even he could see the change in himself. It was subtle, but as he considered humans now, it was not without immediate loathing. He had seen what humans in other parts of the world could do. He knew from talking to Vanessa that they would soon rule this world. He was unlikely to welcome them with open arms into his home, but had to consider now how to make humans useful to him.

The children began filing out of the room, breaking Sesshoumaru away from his thoughts. He looked up to find Vanessa watching him with a thoughtful smile on her lips. He nodded an acknowledgment and followed the children downstairs so she could wash up and change.

Much like the other inns they had stayed in, this one had a large common room with tables and chairs for eating and a sitting area near the fire for socializing downstairs, and sleeping rooms upstairs. There was a large hearth on one wall with a crackling fire to ward off the late autumn chill.

Breakfast was similar as well: bowls of bland grain porridge but this time with chunks of meat that Vanessa would later tell him was called "sausage." It made the dish slightly more palatable, but it certainly was not something he would miss when he returned home to meals he knew and enjoyed.

When Vanessa joined them, he saw that she had tidied her curls, but left her hair down to hide some of her bruises. Despite the reasoning, he found he liked the way her long curls framed her face. Normally, she wore her hair tied up in a knot or ponytail out of convenience; he rarely saw her hair down when she wasn't combing it out before bed. It was a nice change, and stirred more of the same strange thoughts.

The innkeeper gasped and tutted when she saw the evidence of Vanessa's battle. The bruises had darkened overnight and looked much worse than they probably were. Still, Sesshoumaru blamed himself for putting her in a situation where she would need to fight for him.

Vanessa was patient and smiled self-consciously, and assured the older woman that it was nothing. "Really, Mistress Crowley," she said. "I'm fine. I just ran into some… complications when I found my friend."

The old woman smiled indulgently before patting her unbruised cheek and tottering off muttering to herself. Clearly, she disapproved of women fighting.

The children had already finished eating by this time so Vanessa sent the young ones off to play by the warmth of the fire and filled a bowl for each of them. There were some wooden toys in a basket that the younger ones took up eagerly. "We should go before it gets too late," she said to him with her eyes on her little friends

"Whenever you are ready."

She nodded.

"Are you really okay?" she asked, her attention suddenly fixed on him. Her brow furrowed with worry, and here eyes were dark with concern.

Sesshoumaru was taken aback. Hadn't they just been over this? "Yes. I told you upstairs."

"I'm sorry. I know. I don't mean to keep bugging you about it. It's just… You've been so… so calm. Did anything happen? Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. I do not wish to speak of it," he said softly, brow furrowed just slightly.

"Oh... Okay. Well. Let me know if you need anything."

He felt her disappointment, and knew that it wasn't because she delighted in his weakness. He also had the feeling that even her curiosity over the events that transpired while they were apart was second to her concern for his well-being. It was only when he felt the regret and self-recrimination that wasn't his own, that he sighed and pushed away his half-finished breakfast, and leaned back in his chair.

"It is only that I remember very little," he said after a moment. "Something about her spell clouds my memory of those days, and it is only in those moments when you were near that the fog lifts and I have some sense of what happened."

"Oh... I didn't know."

"I think it is because we are so closely liked by the old miko's spirit bond that I was able to have even those semi-lucid moments."

Sesshoumaru didn't like feeling indebted to humans, especially an elderly woman, and a priestess at that, but she had saved him with her spell, and Vanessa too, by allowing him to return to himself in time.

"Are you okay with all of this?"

He frowned in thought and watched her fiddle with her spoon for a moment before lifting a shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. "There is nothing I can do. Any answers I might have hoped to get died with her last night. She is no longer a threat so there is no sense in dwelling on it."

Vanessa nodded and sat back in her seat. "Jack says she was a witch."

This did not surprise Sesshoumaru. He returned her nod slowly. It made sense. "She was not human," he agreed. "At least not entirely. She was not the same as others of my kind, though she had powers that could have been attributed to youkai blood. Perhaps she was a different being entirely."

He paused and took a sip of the warm, spiced cider.

"However, I would very much like to put this place behind me. Whenever you are ready," he added quickly with a glance toward the children. As much as he wanted to move on from this over-crowded human city, hi didn't want to rush her good-byes. He'd caused her too much pain already so he was surprised when she puffed out her cheeks and leaned back in her own chair.

"Well, she won't be hurting anyone else now. That's a good thing, right? I'm going to go find out where we should start looking for a ship," she said, changing the subject suddenly, and got up from the table, leaving Sesshoumaru alone. He enjoyed the quiet while he waited. It would be nice when it was just the two of them again… And a crew full of smelly, sweaty humans… men, he amended. He had to stop lumping the entirety of Vanessa's race into his own preconceptions of them. Maybe he wasn't quite as tolerant of humans as he thought yet.

He would have to be ultra-vigilant on this leg of their journey. Weeks at sea without their wives, lovers and whores will make those men begin to look at Vanessa in ways that he is not going to like. And Vanessa would not approve of him tearing those eyes out of their skulls to keep them from looking either.

"You look like you're about to strangle someone."

Sesshoumaru started and turned his eyes up to Vanessa's. How had he not noticed her approach? Ultra-vigilance? … He'd have to work on that.

"Only thinking. What did you learn?" he asked to change the subject. He wasn't keen on Vanessa learning those particular thoughts for some reason.

She gave him a wary look, but let the topic drop and resumed her seat at the table. "There's a dock on the river that sometimes deals with seafaring merchants. We might find someone there. It's a slim chance, being so late in the year, but we might get lucky."

"When would you like to go?"

"Right now," she said and hopped up again. "But, just a minute."

She went to the children and said a few words. "I won't leave without saying good-bye. I promise," Sesshoumaru heard her say. She gave Sarah a quick squeeze around the shoulders and came back. "Ready!"

They returned to their rooms just long enough for Vanessa to get her bag with the rest of the coin Sesshoumaru had brought, and then set off at what seemed to be a random direction, except that she appeared to know where she was going.

"Do you know where you are going?" he asked after several blocks.

Vanessa smiled and took his arm. "Not at all, but I got directions from Mistress Crowley."

Sesshoumaru nodded and fell in step beside her, constantly scanning the people and dark corners for threats. They couldn't risk any more delays. They walked in companionable silence, arm in arm, down strange and busy streets. Then Sesshoumaru spoke.

"Are you sure this is the right way to go about it?" he asked softly. He didn't have doubts, exactly, but this seemed to be her last chance to turn back if she had any of her own.

"I don't see any other way. We have to find a ship."

"No. What I mean is… I understand we have come a long way to get here, but we also have a long way yet to go. What if… when we get there, you still cannot go home?"

She shrugged. "Then I'll know I did everything I could. I can't even tell you how grateful I am for your help."

"It has been my pleasure." And it was. Given the opportunity to take this trip again, he couldn't think of anyone else he would rather share these experiences with – the good or the bad, though he much preferred the good.

Vanessa looked over at him in surprise. He glanced at her only briefly.

"I never expected the company of a human to be so pleasant. I know…" he said, forestalling an interruption. "I have had Rin with me for some time, but it is not the same. She is a child. You… are not like any human I have met."

"Don't say good-bye yet," she whispered. "Please don't. If… if you want to turn back now, I understand. I can go on alone. Just… don't say good-bye yet. I know this journey hasn't been easy for you, especially recently, and you're trusting your lands to someone else while you're gone, and-"

"No," he said sharply, and then softened his tone. "Not good-bye. Only… I only wanted…" He hadn't meant to worry her, or make her think he was backing out before seeing this through. He only wanted her to know that he wouldn't think less of her if she wanted to turn around.

"It's all right," Vanessa replied and she sounded relieved. "I think I understand."

"I will continue as we planned, and I stand by what I said before. If this does not work, if you cannot go home, you are welcome to return with me, and to stay in my home for as long as you like."

Vanessa smiled. "And if it _does_ work, what will you do? How will you get home?"

"I am certain I will find my way," he said with a little smirk. "Don't worry about me. This journey is about you."

"I have to apologize," she said with a guilty look on her face. "I hadn't thought that far ahead when we set out, and one thing after another… I'll think of how we can get _you_ home along the way."

Sesshoumaru really wasn't concerned with his own path home. He could move more quickly over tougher terrain when he wasn't looking out for the safety of another. As they continued, Sesshoumaru began to have the uncomfortable feeling that he had been there before, but that was impossible. When he mentioned it to Vanessa, in fact, interrupting her mutterings about different paths back to Japan – he would broach that subject again when she'd had time to think, she looked up at him from the corner of her eye before answering. "You were walking here yesterday when I found you."

"Oh… I see." That would explain it. If Vanessa had been near, it would coincide with memories of the past couple days. Better not to think too much on it. He would get no definitive answers now that his captor was gone. Sesshoumaru would be very pleased indeed to leave this town.

"I think… I think maybe we shouldn't hide you when we're making deals for passage," Vanessa said suddenly.

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows. She had been so adamant about concealing his identity, and he had seen the basis of her reasoning firsthand. So why the change now?

"You know best how humans will react to me, but why now?"

Vanessa chewed her lip for a moment. "Think about it. We're going to be stuck in a relatively small space for weeks. If these sailors are anywhere near as superstitious as I've heard, I don't think they'll take well to surprises."

Sesshoumaru nodded. What he wouldn't give for a race that knew and respected his kind. A little healthy fear wouldn't go unappreciated either. But these Western humans were unpredictable. Much like Vanessa, he thought. "Very well," he said. "I will follow your lead."

He couldn't deny that this journey was a humbling experience, but if it meant seeing to Vanessa's safety, he would endure it. He couldn't think of any other time when he had felt the need to place himself second to anything or anyone. Even his care taking of Rin had begun as an indulgence on his own part.

Vanessa paused a few times to peer into shop windows as they walked, but otherwise led them toward the water. She stopped at the crest of a hill and looked down. Between the buildings on either side of the road, Sesshoumaru could see an array of piers lined with ships of all sizes and shapes. Men shouted at one another, some with the sound of orders being given, others of merchants crying their wares. The smell of fish and sewage, and unwashed bodies mixed in his nose, and bells and the creak of wood and snap of rope and sail rang in his ears. This was what he had to look forward to for the next month or more. For this one human beside him, he would endure it.

vVvVvVv

Vanessa took a breath and started toward the bustling harbor. There were so many people about that it was hard to know where to begin. She bypassed a few ships that looked like they would barely survive a trip on the river, let alone the open sea, and moved down past docks where smaller vessels were moored – those wouldn't do – and stopped in her tracks when she heard a man shouting in thickly accented English. Her heart started pounding in her chest. She screwed up.

"I was wrong," she breathed.

"About what?" Sesshoumaru asked calmly. Surely he felt her sudden panic, but as always, he was being her strength.

"We came to the wrong place."

"What do you mean?" his voice was carefully neutral now.

"It's… it's okay," she said, eyeing the ship and the man shouting at the rail.

The problem was that the British _weren't_ trading with the Americas yet. She was almost a century too early for that. _However_, the Spanish conquistadors had been stomping all over Central and South America for decades by this point.

"I think we might have gotten lucky anyway. Come on."

The ship rocking gently against its moorings was a stout, three-masted thing, square sails bound neatly and waiting to be released to catch the wind. To her untrained eye, it looked sturdy, if not exceptionally swift, but that was fine by her if it would get them to their destination.

The man at the rail, occasionally shouting orders, sometimes delegating to what she assumed was his first mate, spoke English heavily colored with his native Spanish. That might mean he had a mixed crew. Or she would have to dig deep and remember her high school Spanish. Either way, the captain obviously spoke English, and that was who she wanted to talk to, and if he wasn't setting sail for the New World, maybe he would be going to Spain. She had to hope that they hadn't gone through everything they had over the past week only to find out she'd screwed up and they lost their chance to travel.

"Vanessa, tell me what is happening."

There was an edge of impatience in his voice; he wasn't used to being left out of the loop. Vanessa paused and then explained quickly. "I was wrong. We never should have left the continent. The English aren't trading in the New World, but the Spanish are. This ship is Spanish as much as I can tell. I need to find out where they're going, and if they're sailing to the Americas, then we need to get on board."

Sesshoumaru looked dubious, but he motioned for her to proceed. She had to get it right this time. They couldn't lose any more time for her mistakes.

"Excuse me!" she called up to the man she thought was captain when there was a break in his shouting.

He looked down at her sharply, annoyed at the interruption. "What do you want, girl?"

"Are you the captain of this ship?"

"I am, and I have better things to do than-"

"Please," she interrupted. "Where are you sailing? Are you going to the New World?"

The man peered down at her. "We sail first for Cuba and then on to Nicaragua and Guatemala. Why?"

"Cuba? That's fantastic!" she said to herself, then louder, "I would like to negotiate passage for my friend and me."

The captain shook his head. "This is not a passenger vessel, _Señorita_. Find someone else."

Vanessa had prepared for this and had already fish out the second coin purse and now flashed a gold piece at him. "We can pay."

She couldn't hear his grumblings, but nearly cried out in victory when he finally called down. "Very well. Come aboard. I'll give you no guarantees, but we will talk."

With a grin for Sesshoumaru, she hurried toward the gangplank and onto the ship. Sesshoumaru hesitated only a moment behind her, still hidden beneath his cloak. Vanessa glanced back over her shoulder as he stepped up to her left side, leaving his sword clear of her body should he need it, she noticed. She certainly hoped he wouldn't need it, but he was tense and despite his deliberate movements, she could practically feel his gaze sweeping the entire deck, noting and cataloging everyone and everything he saw on board.

They hadn't had time to discuss this ship and crew, and maybe she'd been overly hasty in trying to buy passage. This concerned Sesshoumaru too, after all. But now they could at least see what sort of man the captain was and make their judgment after the meeting. They would need some time to collect the rest of their things, and say good-bye to the children too, and if this turned out to be a bad match, maybe they would have time to find another.

The captain ushered them into a large room within the aftcastle of the ship, which apparently doubled as dining room, office, and sleeping quarters. Sesshoumaru slipped in between Vanessa and the captain and when they were offered seats, stood at her shoulder instead, his hand resting casually on the back of her chair. He wasn't letting his guard down.

The captain looked expectantly from Sesshoumaru to the empty chair and shrugged when it was clear he wasn't sitting. Vanessa supposed it was rude of him, but she didn't want him to be any more uneasy than the language barrier already had him. He never said it, but she could feel it. He wouldn't be in control of these negotiations.

This captain was tall and lean, nearly rivaling Sesshoumaru for height, and though he had a wiry frame, he looked to have the strength born of a life at sea. His dark hair fell in shoulder length waves beneath his feathered hat. Sharp gray eyes glittered above a hooked beak of a nose that had certainly been broken a time or two in his life. With his sharp goatee, certain animated versions of Captain Hook might have been modeled after him. However, even with as little as they knew of him so far, Vanessa didn't get the impression that he was the type to kill fairies and leave native princesses to the mercy of the tides. Call it a hunch.

"Before we begin," the captain said, folding his hands on his desk, "I am Captain Benito Peinado de la Cueva, and this is the _Rosalina_. Who may I ask is wishing to buy passage, and how far?"

His words were clipped, but his accent was musical to Vanessa's ears. She smiled at him. "Captain Peinado, my name is Vanessa… Vanessa Carter," she said, changing her last name just enough from Cartwright that she wouldn't be found in any logbooks centuries from now. "And this," now she reached to lightly touch Sesshoumaru's forearm. "This is Sesshoumaru. He is my guardian and traveling companion." She felt him shift behind her, and glanced up to see him incline his head to the captain at his introduction.

"We would like passage to Cuba. Havana or anywhere else you make port on the island is fine."

Captain Peinado eyed Sesshoumaru suspiciously and gestured as he spoke. "Why do you conceal yourself? What do you have to hide?"

Vanessa twisted to look up at him. "Sesshoumaru," she said softly. "Your cloak. Please."

Sesshoumaru unfastened his cloak and with a bit of unnecessary flourish swept it off his head and shoulders to drape it over the back of Vanessa's chair.

"_Madre de Dios,"_ the captain breathed and stood, nearly toppling his chair as Sesshoumaru casually ran his hand back through his hair and leveled his golden gaze on him. Vanessa rose quickly and stood at Sesshoumaru's side. She knew how strange he looked to the other human's eyes. Very few had made it beyond India and fewer made the journey back. She couldn't imagine anyone bringing stories back of the wild coloring of the youkai she'd met, and if they did, certainly none of them lasted the centuries until her time. Vanessa may appreciate the beauty of his golden, almond-shaped eyes, his long silvery white hair, even his less-than-human elfin ears and the markings of his heritage on his skin, but to the average human of this time, all of those things made him utterly alien.

"What is he?" Captain Peinado asked shortly. "A savage? Some heathen devil?"

"Of course not!" Vanessa exclaimed. Sesshoumaru's face maintained its usual stoic calm, but when she stepped closer and put her hand on his forearm, she could feel the tremor of a silent growl ripple through his body. He may not know the words, but he was not pleased with the tone.

"Captain, please. Let me explain."

He waited expectantly for an explanation, something that made sense, hands gripping the back of his chair with white-knuckled intensity.

"I understand his appearance is foreign to you. I thought the same when I first met him." Sesshoumaru had begun to relax as she spoke but stiffened once more at the mention of their first encounter. She had never told him how shocked she was at his appearance then, but surely he'd seen it on her face…

"But I assure you, this man is a prince among his people. I've lived with them, and there isn't anything savage about them." She didn't pause when Sesshoumaru looked down at her with an eyebrow raised in amusement. "Their courts and society rival even that of the greatest of Europe." And here she took a breath and a risk. "It is his gold that would pay for our passage. Please, Captain. We conceal his appearance for no other reason than that he looks so different from anyone else in Europe."

The captain looked skeptical. He was a man of the seas. He'd been places and seen people no one else would have believed, and yet he'd never seen anyone like Sesshoumaru. "Why does he not speak for himself then?" he asked finally.

"Sesshoumaru speaks very little English, but he understands more than he lets on." A half-truth. Sesshoumaru had ways of perception that had no need for words. They both knew that. He nodded once to prove her point. She smiled up at him. "He's just a man of few words."

Captain Peinado sat down again and folded his hands atop his desk, frowning in thought. "I want no trouble for my crew," he began.

"There won't be any. We'll –"

He held up a hand for silence, and Vanessa snapped her mouth shut as he continued. This was a man used to giving orders and having them followed. She had to remember that, mouthpiece of their duo or not, she was just a woman in a man's world.

"I want no trouble for my crew. The voyage is long and having a woman on board will be… troublesome."

"We'll keep to ourselves, out of the way. I won't draw attention to myself."

The captain narrowed his eyes shrewdly. "What benefit is it to me and my crew to take on the trouble of a woman and her strange companion, whom we know nothing about? They say women, even the lovely ones, make bad luck for a ship."

Vanessa flushed. It was ridiculous to refuse paying customers over some silly superstition.

Suddenly she felt Sesshoumaru's hand on her shoulder, and with it the weight of his coin purse dangling from his fingertips, as he bent to murmur in her ear, "Money speaks loudly. Offer this."

She looked at him sharply even as he dropped the pouch into her hand.

"All of it?" Vanessa responded in Japanese for privacy. "But…"

"All of it. Begin with one quarter when we board and the rest upon landfall. I assume he will want more than that up front." Giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze, he straightened again and dropped his hand to his side.

"Look," Vanessa said, gaining some confidence from Sesshoumaru. "You let us aboard to talk passage, if you don't want this…" she poured the contents out on the desktop. "We'll go to someone who does." The coins were a mix from Japan and the different countries they had passed through, but they were all varying weights of gold and silver.

Captain Peinado inspected a few of the foreign coins and tossed them back into the pile.

Vanessa separated out roughly one fourth, and looked up. "We'll give you a quarter of it when we board, and the rest when we reach Cuba."

The captain raised an eyebrow and portioned out more to fill out the quarter to a half. "Half," he announced. "In advance."

Vanessa smiled indulgently and reduced one of the piles to a third. "We'll give you this when we return from getting our belongings, and the bulk when we arrive. All we need is a private place to stay on your ship." She looked at him hopefully, though she didn't want to look too eager.

"If you accept our payment," Vanessa continued. "We would ask for your discretion until we set sail. Inform your crew of course. I don't want anyone to be surprised or uneasy in Sesshoumaru's presence. There's no need for that, but I also don't want to draw unnecessary attention to him."

She glance up at Sesshoumaru and held his gaze for a moment. "We have had some trying times in our travels with people who didn't understand who he was."

Captain Benito Peinado de la Cueva sighed and sat back with a shake of his head. "I will need to remind my men what it means to be gentlemen. Very well, _Señorita_. We set sail this evening. Bring your payment and whatever else you carry with you, and I will have quarters prepared for you. I assume you will be staying with your guardian… I believe that would be the wisest arrangement."

"I agree. Yes, we'll be staying together."

"Then we meet again in a few short hours."

Vanessa scooped the coins back into the pouch, and the captain stood when she rose from her chair and held Sesshoumaru's cloak open for him. He waited until Sesshoumaru had the clasp secured and his hood shielding his face before ushering them out the door, and then they were through and into the noonday sunshine. Some of the crew eyed them with thinly veiled curiosity, but Vanessa tried to ignore their stares. They would get their introductions soon enough – she only hoped it wouldn't be too awkward. Too many reactions like the captain's and they might need to find another mode of transportation.

At the bottom of the gangplank, Sesshoumaru held out his arm out to her expectantly, and she took it gratefully as the adrenaline from their meeting with the captain abandoned her and left her feeling shaky.

Once they were off the ship, Vanessa felt the tension leave her shoulders like water down a drain. It wasn't until after walking several blocks that she felt a similar release in tension in Sesshoumaru. "You did well," he said softly, keeping his focus on the road ahead of them.

Warmth rose up in her cheeks, and she couldn't help a hesitant smile. "You don't think it was too much?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "The captain seemed neither surprised nor offended by the offer. It was fair. Now, tell me everything that the captain said once more. If we have any questions or doubts, it would be wise to voice them before we leave port."

And so, as the pair walked back toward the inn, Vanessa recounted the finer details of her discussion with Captain Peinado so that Sesshoumaru was left with both sides to consider. They talked easily, though Vanessa's nerves began to grow uneasy again.

"It'll be fine," Vanessa said, unsure whether she was trying to convince herself or Sesshoumaru.

The taiyoukai spared her an unconcerned glance. "I am sure it will be," he responded mildly. He seemed so at ease that she couldn't help feeling her insides settle in the face of that unflappable calm. She'd seen him enraged and on the brink of losing that cool facade, but he was nowhere near that point now. She _felt_ his calm radiating through her.

"We could still find another ship," she offered. Vanessa didn't know what to expect form men of this time, but Captain Peinado seemed to be as good as any. The crew might be a different story, but if they were anything like he was, then they couldn't be all bad.

"That will be unnecessary," Sesshoumaru told her. "As you said, it is growing late in the season, and we may not find another making the journey." She noticed that he didn't point out that they might not have had such a slim choice if they hadn't come to London in the first place. "This one will do."

"You sure? You're in this as much as I am. I know we haven't really seen much of the ship or the rest of the crew -"

"Vanessa," he said, cutting her off gently. "Stop worrying. We need to find passage, and one ship is as good as another. If the crew turn out to be what I have come to expect of bands of human men at home, then I will protect you. Until then, we must... have faith that these men do not meet my expectations." His lips turned and he ran his tongue over his teeth as if the words were bitter in his mouth, and Vanessa couldn't help smiling.

"Don't ever change, Sesshoumaru."

He turned and raised an eyebrow, making her smile split into a grin.

"This one will do," he said finally, and they walked on in silence for a while, but it was comfortable, much as it had been before they landed of Britain's shores.

"We should secure rations for ourselves," he suggested, and paused at the door to a butcher shop. Vanessa knew he couldn't decipher the hanging sign so he must have smelled the meat inside. "If we leave ahead of the evening tide, the ship's provisions may have already been purchased, and the crew will not appreciate sharing with extra mouths, no matter the price we paid. If not," he shrugged. "Then we have something to hold us for a while on your continent."

Vanessa nodded, feeling the weight of their remaining coin decreasing even before it was spent. "We might want to stock up now on anything else we might need before we arrive in North America. I don't know how developed Havana is, but I know there will not be any cities in our travel up the coast."

She ducked inside with Sesshoumaru on her heels and spoke with the butcher. They decided on a supply of salt pork, enough to feed two for two months, packaged for storage on a ship, and to be delivered within the hour to the _Rosalina_. She thanked the man and handed over a few coins as payment.

"He recommended tins of travel bread from the baker up the street to supplement," she told Sesshoumaru as they left the store. He nodded and motioned for her to lead the way.

"We could fish, too. I think," she suggested. "Preserved pork probably isn't quite up to your usual taste, is it?" Her own human tasted buds would get tired of it before too long. She couldn't imagine how he was going to tolerate it when he was used to fresh meat, or at the very least meals prepared to his tastes. Especially after a week of eating "human food" while in the city.

"I will manage."

He never complained. He was never impatient with her or her human needs, though he had every right to be; they certainly traveled much slower because of her. He'd given up so many comforts for her, and she had no idea how she could ever repay him.

They bought several large packets of the hard bread, hardtack, the baker called it and had it sent along to the ship as well. All that was left was to find something for them to drink on the voyage and they had their food covered. She thought Mistress Crowley might be able to help them out with that.

Vanessa stopped once more in the market and bought a few hooks and spare line, strips of cloth to supplement her supply of bandages – just in case, a bar of soap, and two more thick, woven blankets. She cringed at the thought of not being able to take a proper bath while at sea, but she was prepared for the first sign of fresh water she found once they reached shore. There would probably be something she forgot and wouldn't realize it until land was far out of sight, but for the time being, she thought she had the essentials.

Finally, they were ready to turn back to the inn. They were barely inside the door when Sarah rushed up to them. "Did you find a ship? Are you leaving?"

Her little face fell at Vanessa's bittersweet smile. "We did. We're leaving tonight."

"But you only just got here."

Vanessa led the girl over the a chair by the fire and sat with her while Sesshoumaru took their purchases upstairs. The other children looked up from their quiet activities. Rebecca and Tim paused in clearing dishes from their tables, but continued before Mistress Crowley would notice.

"You knew I would be leaving soon, Sarah. That's why I was looking for Sesshoumaru," Vanessa said softly.

"I know. I just didn't think it would be so soon."

Vanessa smiled and put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm just passing through, but I am really glad to have met you, and I can't thank you enough for everything you've done to help me get him back. Really."

Sarah flushed. "It weren't nothin'"

"Look, you're a smart girl. There's no reason you should be living on the street. Keep helping Mistress Crowley with the inn, and you'll be on your feet in no time."

"You really have to go, don't you? We won't ever see you again."

"I do. I wish I could keep everyone I've met in my travels with me," she said, suddenly thinking of Rin and how she would never see her again. She fought back the pain of that thought and forced a smile for Sarah. "But I can't do that. I can only keep the memories of them tight in my heart. You'll always be there. I promise."

"May we see you off?" Sarah asked.

"Of course! And I'll wave from the rail until I can't see you anymore."

Sarah smiled a little at that. "I better finish then," she said, and got up to join Rebecca and Tim.

Vanessa sighed and went to the kitchens to find the innkeeper and see what they could get for something to drink for the journey.

"I have a few small casks of wine and ale in the cellar," the older woman said. "I have heard of too many people falling ill on these voyages from bad water, but the alcohol will keep."

"We'll pay, of course," Vanessa said. "Whatever is fair."

"I know, deary. Have your boy, Jack, come and help an old woman. I'll have them sent to your ship. Which one was it again?"

"The _Rosalina_, captained by Benito Peinado de la Cueva."

Mistress Crowley frowned. "A Spanish captain? Not much better than the French they are. Are you sure you chose the right ship?"

Vanessa smiled. "I think so. Besides, I have Sesshoumaru with me now. What can go wrong?" Famous last words, she thought as soon as they were out of her mouth, but honestly, things could only go up from there.

"Hm. Well. Do what you feel you must. Is there anything else you need before you go?"

Vanessa took the older woman's hands and squeezed gently. "I think we're all set. You have been great, and so incredibly helpful. I can't thank you enough."

"You certainly have made things interesting here the last few days. Travel safe, my dear."

"We will. Oh, and would the girls be able to take some time this afternoon to see us off?"

Mistress Crowley smiled. "Of course, my dear. And... I will look after them as long as they continue to work. I'll give them no handouts, though."

Grateful tears pricked her eyes as she hurried to embrace the older woman. "Thank you," she said thickly.

Vanessa turned to go upstairs to help Sesshoumaru pack and nearly ran into him in the doorway. "Oh!" she gasped and stepped back.

He frowned and raised his hand, but stopped short of touching her cheek. "Is everything all right?" he murmured, and Vanessa realized her eyes were damp.

"It's fine. I was just saying some good-byes. I need to find Jack and then finish packing before we have to leave."

Vanessa passed on the innkeeper's message, and then Sesshoumaru followed her like a pale shadow up to their rooms and waited while she added her bag to his by the door. The hardtack and the few other purchases they had made that day went into a spare sack and joined the others.

"I guess that's everything," Vanessa said, somehow shocked to realize that their entire world amounted to a handful of bags filled with the bare essentials. It was strange to think that she was so close to what she knew, and yet so very far away still.

Vanessa picked up her pack while Sesshoumaru shouldered the other two.

"I can carry one," she offered.

"No need." He just nodded toward the door and followed her back out and down the stairs.

They paused for Vanessa to get a round of hugs from the children, and after assuring them once more that she would be waving from the rail, they set off once more across the city to the harbor.

Captain Peinado led them down below decks, beneath the forecastle in the bow of the ship, to a cluster of small, private cabins. One was clearly occupied with a trunk, bedding, and a few odds and ends scattered on the walls and the small pieces of furniture tucked wherever it would fit. Two at the foremost end of the short corridor had long ago been relegated to storage, and the fourth appeared to have been hastily cleared out and made ready for passengers.

The thin mattresses atop the bunks set high on the wall, hazardously close to the ceiling it seemed, looked clean and there was a blanket folded at the foot of each, in addition to the ones they had brought for themselves.

At the back of the cabin, against the hull was a low chest of drawers flanked by a pair of matching stools. A hinge near the top of the chest suggested that they could open out the top to make it into a table.

Above the table, a narrow window, barely a ventilation slit, let in a shaft of afternoon light and a slight breeze. A wide-based oil lantern sat atop the chest, and glowed with a small flame within. Beneath each bunk sat low upholstered chairs, well-used and worn, but comfortable-looking.

Vanessa dropped her pack into one and turned around, taking in her surroundings. It was a small space, but she didn't think it would be cramped. It wasn't as though they had much to fill it. "What do you think?" she asked, turning to Sesshoumaru, who was likewise inspecting their new home at sea. He frowned at the lack of a lock on the door, but he nodded.

"It will do."

She turned to the captain. "This is perfect. Are the rest of our supplies on board? We sent a few things to be delivered earlier."

"_Si_, Come with me."

Captain Peinado backed out and pointed them to one of the cabins-turned-storage lockers. Tucked in among the coils of rope and rolls of sailcloth, were several barrels.

"One from a butcher, and four from the _Rose and Dagger._ Is this everything?"

Vanessa nodded. "That should do it."

"Then I will leave you to get settled. My first mate, Antón, is just across the way if you need anything once we make way. We set sail within the hour."

He nodded to each of them and disappeared into the hold.

Vanessa gave Sesshoumaru a nervous grin and retreated into their cabin. "This is it!"

"Indeed."

He dropped his own packs in a corner and hung his cloak on a peg in the wall. They had agreed that he would continue to wear it until the ship was out of port, for the sake of any observers on shore.

"Which bed would you prefer?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Either one. This one is fine," she said, indicating the bunk over the chair where she had dropped her bag.

Sesshoumaru's eyes swept the cabin once more before he nodded. "We should go above and see if your friends have arrived."

"Right." It was going to be difficult to leave the children after all they had done for her, but not nearly has hard as leaving Rin or Shizu. "Let's go."

The sun was beginning to sink toward the skyline to the west, and a few well-wishers were gathered for the crew members that made London their home, mostly women, a few accompanied by small children. A small knot of children hovered at the end of the gangplank, and Vanessa felt a broad smile part her lips.

"You made it!" she called.

Sarah waved, and Vanessa was struck again by how much she resembled her own sister, especially at a distance. She wondered briefly if there was actually any relation there, but that would be an impossible coincidence.

"We wouldn't miss it!" Sarah called back. "Good luck! Stay safe!"

"We will, and thank you!"

Vanessa blew a few kisses and waved, and before she knew it there was a bell and a lurch and they were sliding away from the pier.

"Good-bye! Thanks for everything!"

True to her word, she waved until she couldn't see the kids anymore. They were gone, and she was beginning a new chapter in her journey. She turned to Sesshoumaru. "No turning back now."

"That is not true," he said mildly.

"Well... No turning back without causing a scene or getting very wet." She grinned.

Once they were clear of the Thames and easing into the English Channel to swing around and out into the Atlantic, the ship settled quickly into an easy routine. Vanessa and Sesshoumaru spent the early part of the evening on deck watching the shore slide by, and generally staying out of the way of the crew. However, once out into the open water of the Channel itself, the light choppiness of the sea proved to be too much for Vanessa's stomach.

"I don't feel so good," she muttered, sagging against the railing. "I think-" she couldn't finish the thought as she lurched and leaned over the rail just in time. Just moments after her first harried lunge for the rail, she felt Sesshoumaru's hand, cool against her neck where he held her hair.

"Sorry," she mumbled, while she wiped her chin with the back of her hand. His poor nose.

"Not necessary," he said softly. He let go of her hair when she straightened. "Come below and have a drink," he suggested. "You will feel better when the taste is gone."

Vanessa would have liked nothing more than a tall glass of ice water to clean her mouth, but their fresh water supply was very limited, only the few skins they had with them from before, refilled from the well at the inn. She couldn't waste it though. Between the dry, cracker-like bread, the salted pork, and the wine and ale they brought, it would be a wonder if they didn't die of dehydration before they reached Cuba.

"Just a sip," she agreed, and maybe a splash of wine to get the taste out of her mouth, though much more than that would make her even more sick to her stomach.

Inside their cabin, Sesshoumaru sat her down and handed her a water skin, and then fished out a tin of bread. "Eat something," he told her. And it was then that she realized that she hadn't eaten dinner. Maybe having something in her stomach would help settle it.

"Thank you. Aren't you hungry?" she asked when Sesshoumaru didn't take any for himself.

He shook his head. "No. I am fine for now."

She ate a few bites, but really couldn't stomach much more than that. She did find that if she just closed her eyes, she could imagine that the gently rocking ship was a hammock or a rocking chair.

"I hope I won't be sick the entire time," she said miserably, but obediently took another sip of water when Sesshoumaru held out the skin once more.

"It will pass," he said confidently. "It is not uncommon for it to take some time to get used to the motion of the sea."

"But I've been on boats before! Big cruise ships _and_ small boats. I've never been seasick before. _You're_ not seasick."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow before a smirk turned the corner of his mouth. "Naturally, the constitution of a youkai, such as myself, would be able to withstand the rigors of sea travel."

Vanessa clambered up onto her bunk and pouted at the boards above her head. "Must be nice."

Sesshoumaru appeared at her shoulder, all levity having vanished from his face, but he leaned casually on the wooden frame.

"I do not make light of your discomfort, Vanessa. I do hope you know that."

She rolled onto her side and touched his hand with a finger. "I know. I don't mean to suck you into my misery. You should go up and get some air. I'll be fine here. I think I'll be okay for now."

Sesshoumaru shook his head and stepped back to sit in the chair beneath his bunk. "It is late. I will stay."

Vanessa watched him in the flickering lantern light. She could practically feel the release of tension as he closed his eyes and slowly shifted his muscles, forcing himself to relax and let go of the stress of the past weeks. She couldn't blame him. It was the first moment of peace they had had since they were reunited. Now they were at the mercy of the winds and the skill of the crew now. The burden of seeing them safely to shore was not his to bear.

Naturally, she'd seen his quiet moments before, but to see him contained in such a small space, when he exuded such power, she wondered where all that energy went once it left his body. He was a creature born of the wild and refined to regality, and the mix made him stunning no matter the setting. She had a feeling he would thrive on the wild shores of North America after being cooped up on the ship for so long. Someone like him should never be caged. That was what made his recent captivity so much more heartbreaking. Maybe it was good that the only memory he had was just the fact that he had been, figuratively speaking, caged.

As though feeling her eyes on him, he opened his eyes and looked up.

"Is everything all right?" he asked softly, concern and something else flashing in his eyes.

"It will be," she said, smiling down at him. "Good night, Sesshoumaru."

He inclined his head in response, and Vanessa rolled over to leave him to his meditations, but she didn't fall asleep until she heard him dim the lamp and climb into his own bunk. This would be a good trip, she decided. No matter what, she would make sure of it.

That is... as long as she could keep her meals down.

A/N:

To those of you who are curious, the _Rosalina_ is a Carrack, one of the most common and versatile ships used by the Spanish and Portuguese in their exploration and trade in the Atlantic. Also FYI, 60-ish years earlier, the _Santa Maria_ was a Carrack, while the _Niña_ and _Pinta_ were similarly designed, but smaller, Caravels. The _Rosalina_ could easily have been decades old and had that nice "age" polish to her where hands and feet made regular contact.


	29. Maritime Shenanigans, Part 1

Into the East

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Maritime Shenanigans, part 1

Posted: 17 July 2013

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga _Inuyasha_ © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me, so basically everything but Sesshoumaru at this point.

Sunlight slanted in through the cabin window, playing across Sesshoumaru's face and teasing him to wakefulness. The ship rocked gently on a swell, and he awoke with a start, nearly hitting his head when he sat up in bed.

"Oh!" Vanessa cried, even as he ducked at the last moment.

He glanced at her and was shocked to find her smothering a grin with both her hands. He scowled.

"I'm sorry," she choked out behind her fingers.

She was still in her bed, propped up on her elbows, eyes sparkling above her fingertips, and he found that no matter how he tried... he couldn't hold onto his irritation.

"You seem well this morning," he commented, letting slide what he might have otherwise considered an offense. He really shouldn't be surprised anymore that he let her get away with such things.

Vanessa dropped her hands to the thin mattress beneath her, but the smile lingered on her lips. "I feel better. We'll see if it lasts."

"Have you been awake long?"

She shook her head. "Just a few minutes before you."

Sesshoumaru scrubbed his hand over his face and swung his legs over the side, remembering to duck to clear the ceiling this time, and dropped lightly to the floor.

"Shall we take our breakfast outside?" he asked.

Vanessa smiled warmly. "That would be nice."

She accepted the support of his arm as she hopped down from her own bed and gathered some of the food they had brought and followed him out of their cabin. There was a fire they could use in the cook's station if they didn't disturb his work so they roasted bits of pork until they were warm and crispy and went out into the sunlight.

The salted pork and hard, dry bread would grow tiresome, he knew, but they didn't have many options. They could fish if it became unbearable, he supposed. Vanessa had made sure to get spare hooks and line before they left, but there would be time for that later.

Sesshoumaru blinked in the bright morning light, made all the more dazzling by the sparkling sea that surrounded them in every direction as far as even his eyes could see. They had sailed south and west, far beyond any sight of land overnight, and Sesshoumaru couldn't help but feel exceptionally small when measured against the enormity of this ocean. Being among the most powerful creatures in his land, this was an odd feeling, and yet... he was going somewhere never before visited by any of his kind, none from Japan anyway. There was something to be said for that.

He glanced about at a few of the human crewmen casting him curious and wary looks. Before ever setting sail, Peinado had introduced him as he was, no disguises, and most had accepted the captain's word and judgment well enough. A small handful of men left the ship right then, and despite leaving the crew shorthanded, Sesshoumaru was glad to see them go. If they were superstitious, as Vanessa suggested, then they would only cause them trouble in the months ahead. Most of the others accepted his "strangeness" and if they were wary and kept their distance, that was fine by him.

The humans in this part of the world were strange to him, but according to Vanessa they would be among the leaders of her world. He wondered if these superstitions would persist through the centuries. Vanessa did not seem afflicted by them. Was she the exception? Or were men like these sailors what he had to look forward to in his long life.

Vanessa nudged him from his musings and held out his share of the food. "Something on your mind?"

"The future," he murmured, squinting toward the west though there was no hope yet of seeing this new continent.

They had gone to the rail to stay out of the way, and now she leaned on it and looked up at him, picking at her bit of bread. "Anything in particular?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "Merely curious as to how so many humans will shape this Earth."

"I could tell you," she offered, and during their travels she had told him many things. She had told him fantastical tales of machines that fly with hundreds of people within, and buildings so tall that they touched the very sky, of people, humans no less, who will breach that eternal sky and set foot on the moon. The moon!

I was hardly to be believed, and yet he had never sensed any deception in her. It was either true or she was delusional, and he was unwilling to believe the latter. He shook his head. "No, I believe I would prefer to watch it unfold, to see it with my own eyes."

He didn't mention that she had also told him that creatures like him and Saburo, even Inuyasha and the dragons they had encountered were nothing more than myth and legend in the future. He had to admit that it was a bit unsettling to think that his days may in fact be numbered.

"You should eat," he murmured, still distracted by his thoughts, when a sudden exclamation make him jerk.

"Ah!" came a delighted cry from behind him.

Sesshoumaru turned to see the captain strolling toward them. "Miss Vanessa, and Seh... Sessho... eh... _Señor_," he settled with an apologetic nod to the taiyoukai. Sesshoumaru fought the urge to roll his eyes. Really, was his name so difficult for the tongues of these people? He'd recognized the prefix that the children had attached to Vanessa's name, but when Captain Peinado continued to speak, he was – as per usual recently – at a loss and dependent on clues from Vanessa.

"We would love to join you for breakfast," she said finally, smiling brightly at the human male, and wrapped the remainder of her meal in a cloth pulled from her pocket . If it meant proper food for her, he would suffer through the discomfort of being on the outside looking in on their conversation.

They followed the captain into his quarters, and he seated them, not at his desk where they had met the previous morning, but at a small table off to the side near a window. There was an array of porridge, sausages, bread, fruit, and a steaming pot of something undefinable, something he had never smelled before. They could have brought fresher food for the early part of the voyage too, but they had agreed that it was more prudent to bring more of something that would last well into their travels on the other continent. They didn't know what the chances were of restocking when they arrived in Havana.

Although it was not something he would normally eat, the smell of the food was enticing after the more practical provisions of that morning.

"You have coffee?!" Vanessa exclaimed as Captain Peinado began pouring steaming, dark liquid from the pot into cups set in front of each of them. Sesshoumaru looked up in surprise from his study of the food on the table.

Vanessa and the captain had been chatting amiably, and he had lost interest until that moment. Her eyes were bright and the grin she wore was radiant. She'd never responded in such a way to anything _he_ had given her, he thought with a slight furrowing of his brow and an unexpected twinge of envy. Had she? And this was just a drink! He watched in strange fascination as she inhaled deeply of the steam rising from her cup, rolling her eyes in obvious appreciation.

"Oh..." she said, startled and suddenly uncomfortable when the captain asked her a question. "It's, um... common where I come from... No, I'm not originally from London. How did you come by it? I haven't had any in ages."

The drink must be one of those things common in her time, but still very localized in his present, he reasoned. They were still talking, but Sesshoumaru's eyes were on Vanessa as she took a slow sip. "Oh, this is good," she murmured as the captain continued to speak. "Turkey?" she asked in surprise. "Have you done much trading in the Mediterranean?"

Captain Peinado responded as Sesshoumaru took a delicate sniff of the dark liquid in his own cup. It smelled almost nutty and was slightly bitter on his tongue when he took an experimental sip. Unusual, but not unpleasantly so. In fact, the taste of it grew on him more with each sip.

Vanessa laughed suddenly at something the other human said. "You really must have been everywhere," she said, her voice still full of laughter. "And now traveling across the Atlantic? I think you'll see the entire world before you're through."

The captain shook his head modestly, but Sesshoumaru felt his brows knitting further as he watched them. Was she flirting with him? It was ridiculous that he should feel any amount of jealousy for this human. He was Sesshoumaru, after all. He was not affected by such things. And yet, there was a quickness in his heart that he could not explain, an ache in the pit of his stomach that he had never felt before. Whom had he ever had to be jealous of? He could take who- and whatever he wanted - that was the nature of power. But that was the crux of it. Vanessa was not something he could have just because he wanted her; she had to be won, and she couldn't know that she was the prize. Dangerous thoughts...

He decided to focus his attention on the sausages and bread set before him. There was no sense in getting irritated over half of a conversation. He was brooding silently over his food, when suddenly there was a light touch on his knee. He snapped his eyes to hers and realized she had been talking about him.

"... Sesshoumaru has been such a huge help to me the past few months. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him." Then she smiled in that _way_ of hers, and the unease in his chest lifted. Everything was fine again. It was a dangerous road he walked, but he wasn't at all sure that he wanted to detour anymore.

Vanessa turned back to the captain and they continued their conversation. Sesshoumaru watched, and listened to what he could, while he sipped at his drink until all that was left was a thick sludge of whatever had been brewed in the water at the bottom, and it was at about that time that the captain rose, claiming other duties to see to and walked them to the door.

"Vanessa," Sesshoumaru began, frowning out at the gentle swells of the ocean. They had gone back to their earlier place at the rail after breakfast and "coffee."

"Hm?" she replied, turning to him and tucking a curl behind her ear as the wind caught hold of it. She smiled up at him, but he hesitated. She always seemed to have such faith in him that it made what he had to ask... difficult.

He hated having to rely on her for snippets of conversation. How could he truly protect her when he didn't understand the soft mutterings of the crew as they passed by. What if they missed something vital because she couldn't hear as well as he did, or because he simply didn't know what it was he was hearing. It didn't help his pride that he had to admit that he was lacking in some skill vital to his success. But this was Vanessa. She would never use his weaknesses against him.

She waited expectantly.

"I would like... That is... Would you teach me your words? Your language?" he finished quickly, wincing at the botched delivery of his own request.

Vanessa stared at him, lips parted in surprise. He should have thought of it before, but he didn't find it necessary until now, and there hadn't been time while they were in London, and...

"You... Want to learn English?" Her lips turned in a half smile as though she didn't quite believe him.

He nodded and leaned against the rail. "I should have asked sooner. It hinders my ability to protect you if I cannot know what is being said around me."

She smiled and bit her lip, and her nose crinkled in a way he found oddly endearing, causing his need to keep her safe to grow to new levels. "I'm not a very good teacher," she said.

In response, Sesshoumaru tilted his head just a little as he watched her, and said plainly, "You taught Rin."

Vanessa waved off the comment and turned to face the water. "Just a few words, nothing meaningful."

She was quiet for a moment, and then turned back to him. "You really want to learn?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I would not have asked otherwise."

It also wouldn't hurt that this way he could know what the captain said that made her laugh so gaily. He only got half of the conversation, and none of it had seemed particularly amusing...

Finally, she smiled and nodded, and he was not surprised when she took his hand and tugged him toward the stairs to their cabin below. "Come on," she said. "Better not to advertise how much you have to learn."

Once more in their small cabin, they sat on the low chairs, positioned beneath the bunks facing each other. "We'll...ah... We'll have to break the bond to do this. That was why I could only teach Rin before. You already knew what I was saying."

Sesshoumaru suddenly found himself hesitant to relinquish that connection, and by the look on her face, the biting of her lip, Vanessa seemed equally so.

They hadn't been "apart" since that night back in Japan when, foolishly, he had nearly driven her away. They had relied on it then and every day since. "It will be temporary," he assured her, though a niggling doubt still made him hesitate. What if it couldn't be reestablished? They had been tied for far longer than the old miko had likely anticipated, and there was no one near who would be able to fix it if it broke.

If the bond was permanently severed, he would have no choice but to learn the language, but it would be at the cost of no longer feeling her mood along side his. At last, he sighed and held out his hand to her. "Take mine. It will be easier for you to do it." Her hands were gentle, and she had no claws to tear the silk.

Vanessa took his hand in both of hers, her fingers shockingly cool to the touch. She hesitated just a moment more, then slid her slender fingers between the silk ribbon and his skin and tugged gently to pull it over his hand.

The feeling of loss was immediate, and with it came a simultaneous, sharp intake of air. Sesshoumaru schooled his features more quickly, but he couldn't help the widening of his eyes as he stared at her. He remembered her sudden absence from the periphery of his senses back then, but he felt it so much more acutely now, as if he had lost her completely, yet she sat right there before his very eyes. The miko was thousands of miles away, if anything, the spell should have grown weaker, not stronger. There was no logical reason for it to bother him more to have her out of his head now than when the spell was first cast. And yet it did.

He knew he was not alone when tears sparkled in her eyes, and if she squeezed his fingers a little tighter, he couldn't say he minded the contact. Vanessa shook her head and quickly dashed them away while Sesshoumaru averted his eyes as she composed herself.

"Sorry," she breathed. "That was... unexpected. I will be ready next time."

It was strange now to hear her speak. Her speech was stilted and hesitant, and an accent he had never noticed before colored her words. Before, their bond had her speaking flawless Japanese to his ears, but this was so much more... natural, he decided. He marveled at how much she had learned in so short a time in his home, and how much she had retained since Shizu and Kaminari left and she no longer needed it.

"There is no need to apologize," he said slowly, carefully, now conscious that she may not understand him explicitly. She nodded and took a breath.

"Ready?" she asked eagerly, now grinning with anticipation.

Sesshoumaru nodded, and she launched into the incomprehensible speech he heard from everyone else on the ship and in the town before they left.

For the next several hours, she broke down for him several words and phrases into something he _could_ begin to understand, and by the time they stopped for the afternoon, in addition to a blossoming headache behind his eyes, Sesshoumaru had a few phrases and responses that he was confident he would remember. They were simple exchanges, and he would have to recognize the first part in order to respond correctly, but he held them fast in his mind. At least until their next session.

"_Very good,"_ Vanessa praised, using words he had only just learned, but her brilliant smile was anything but patronizing. He couldn't physically feel it at the moment, but she was proud of him, and that in turn made his own pride swell.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head to her and said, _"Thank you."_

Vanessa grinned and held out the black ribbon so that she could slip it back over his wrist, and it was no small relief to feel her hovering on the edges of his perception once more. She closed her eyes and smiled a soft smile of her own when she felt him again. That small gesture warmed him in ways that he knew it should not, but he didn't care. Her usual cheer returned when she opened her eyes once more. He hadn't noticed the tightness around those eyes until it was gone.

"That's _more_ than enough for one day," she said with a sigh. Sesshoumaru made a small noise of agreement. He hadn't studied so much since he was very small. "If we had something to write on, I'd teach you the letters that make up all those words and it might make more sense, but..." she shrugged.

"Let's go outside for some fresh air," she suggested. "We've been cooped up here for hours."

Sesshoumaru didn't mind the hours, the frustration... or the resulting headache. It was time well spent.

"You were wrong," he said softly as she slipped past him. "You are a fine teacher."

Vanessa paused and looked up at him, her cheeks coloring under his gaze. "It helps to have a good student."

The next evening after another day of sun and English lessons, they were enjoying a glass of wine in their quarters after dinner when someone out in the large lower deck area played a few notes on a tin whistle. Another responded with a quick warm-up on a fiddle. Vanessa looked at him quickly, her eyes bright with excitement as a rousing tune wound through the hold toward them. Sesshoumaru could already hear stamping and clapping and shouts of encouragement. Vanessa grinned. "Want to have a look?"

He knew she enjoyed music, and though this particular flavor was not quite to his own tastes, he would humor her. Indeed, it would be a very long voyage without some form of entertainment, and who knows... he might come to enjoy it. But he very much doubted that. He inclined his head and motioned for her to proceed.

Outside their quarters, past the stairs up to the outer deck, the space opened up. Bunks, cots and hammocks were tucked in semi-private alcoves built into the walls. Storage barrels were as much furniture as the tables and chairs littered about the common area. A cook's station stood to one side with a wood stove glowing with embers from the evening's meal, providing some warmth in the cool night.

Vanessa led him to the source of the music, and he had to duck past several low beams before they came to a loose circle of men. Some were old and weathered, with leathery skin, tanned nearly brown by the sun, covering wiry frames. Others were young and lean, all hard and built for their lives at sea.

One of the older men, with a gap in his grin where teeth had once resided, glanced up at their approach and hurried up to them. He spoke a few words to Vanessa.

"Oh, no. I couldn't," she responded quickly. "I don't know the steps." She laughed at something he said and stepped closer to Sesshoumaru. "Maybe after a few songs. I'll just watch for now."

Sesshoumaru glanced at her. "He wants me to dance," she explained when the man shrugged and rejoined his colleagues.

"Do you not wish to?" He recalled the scene in his dojo, and in the dim lantern light, he saw that she blushed, perhaps sharing his memory.

"Not right now. I hardly know him."

Vanessa smiled and watched the other men enjoying themselves. Sometimes she laughed at lyrics he couldn't understand. Sesshoumaru found he enjoyed watching her from the corner of his eye far more than he did the actual entertainment before him. After a while, the old man from before returned and whisked Vanessa away, laughing with half-hearted protests.

He quickly suppressed his own snarl of protest as a strange possessiveness came over him. That man had no right to touch her. And yet, despite her words she went willingly, laughing all the while. What claim had he ever made that would permit him to take offense? Had Vanessa even hinted at a need for aid, that man would be armless in an instant, without hesitation, and that was if he was feeling generous. At the moment... he was not.

Sesshoumaru leaned one shoulder against a support column in an effort to hide the tension he couldn't release from his body while he kept a close eye on Vanessa, watching for any sign of distress. Despite their introduction the previous evening, the crew cast him wary and suspicious glances when they thought he wasn't looking. He was supposed to be human, and it was an effort to play the part.

He watched as Vanessa hopped and skipped, matching the old man's jig, and laughing when she missed a beat and stumbled. She hiked up the hems of her wide-legged hakama to match her feet to her partner's, and in doing so, bared her legs to the calves.

Sesshoumaru scowled. He had grown used to the attire of the future and the associated level of modesty - especially with regard to that miko of Inuyasha's, but these men were not of that future, and the women of London were just as covered as human women in Japan - and by that, he assumed custom must be the same. These men could not possibly have his level of control. He held his tongue, but now watched the faces of the men.

Vanessa danced with several other men, spinning and skipping before glancing his way with a grin. He quickly smoothed his face into something calm and tolerant, but still she paused, and with an apologetic gesture to her partner, walked the few paces back to him. A suspicious glint of mischief shone in her eyes, and her feet were light on the floorboards, still moving to the boisterous beat of the fiddle.

He realized too late what she intended, but even as she raised her hands to clasp his, he was shaking his head. "No," he said firmly, ignoring the flush of her cheeks and warmth of her hands as she tugged his arm.

She managed to pull him a few feet from his post and grinned. "Come on," she urged. "It's fun."

"I believe you and I differ in our notion of fun," he muttered. He would just look like a fool. And then she laughed that same laugh of delight that had made him feel so envious earlier, and he very nearly gave in, but he kept his feet firmly on the floor as she danced around and around him, still holding his hand. His stout refusal to join her "fun" seemed to amuse her more than was warranted. However, though she laughed _at_ him now, it was good to see her so lighthearted.

Vanessa laughed and finally came to a stop in front of him, one hand clasped in his, the other resting lightly on the side of his neck. She smiled up at him and he felt a contented warmth wash over him. For a long, wordless moment, she held his gaze, but then suddenly she looked away, blushing as though he had caught her doing something she shouldn't. She moved her hand from his neck and straightened his collar - though it didn't need it, and patted his shoulder. "Right... Right, not your thing," she murmured as if to herself. "It's getting late... I think I'll go get some sleep."

Sesshoumaru was left feeling cold when she pulled her hand from his and skirted past him without waiting for a response.

Now, just what was he supposed to make of that? He watched her back recede into darkness as she made her way to their cabin. Normally free with her emotions, she was carefully guarded with her feelings when he tried to make some sense of what had just happened via their connection. She had been enjoying herself, he could feel that for himself, but then her mood had changed so suddenly he wondered if it was something he did. Or didn't do. And somehow he knew that, for once, she didn't want to talk about it.

Shouts and laughter erupted behind him, and he turned. The scent of ale and other, stronger liquors was strong, and he silently bared his teeth at the raucous crowd of men. Vanessa had lost interest, so he no longer had a reason to remain, but did she want to be alone? Their small cabin was much more intimate and cramped than any campfires or rented rooms they had shared so far. He didn't understand, and this troubled him. But if she didn't want his company, what was he to do?

He started toward the cabin and hoped there was some way to resolve this.

vVvVvVv

In the darkness of their cabin, Vanessa sighed. She ran away. It was stupid, and there was no reason for it, but plain and simple - she ran away. Her thoughts and feelings had scared her so she clamped down on them and left, abandoning Sesshoumaru to the humans she knew he didn't care for, and hiding in the seclusion of her bunk in their tiny cabin. In her bed, with the lantern turned low, she listened to the slosh and slap of water against the hull, to the creak of wood and sails, and wished she could just go home and put the confusion of everything behind her.

But that was the problem. She didn't know _which_ home she wanted to go to. She wanted both, and knew it was selfish and impossible to get everything she wanted. If she stayed, she'd never see her family again in this lifetime, and if she left, she'd never see Rin again. There was also the chance that she'd never see Sesshoumaru again either. It all depended on what happened in the next five hundred years. That was a long time, and though she had searched her memory, she couldn't find anything new that suggested that she had seen him in her own past when she didn't yet know him. The thought that these next few weeks might truly be the last she ever spent with him had hit home again as she tried to get him to join her in a dance.

She did smile a little at that. She'd miss his patience and what sometimes seemed a limitless tolerance of her whims and silliness. There was no reason why he should let her get away with half the things she did, she knew that, but he let her. And she didn't mean to push his limits - usually, but she knew she did, and she also knew that sometimes he even liked her a little more for it.

In her earlier half-hearted attempt to get him to dance with her, she imagined a future together with him, and it had been nice. Too nice. More moments like that when she would coax an indulgent smile from him, adventures abroad, and quiet, peaceful times at home, evenings spent just talking about anything and everything - like they had done before they left Japan. Her heart had swelled at the thought that maybe, just maybe, he could feel the same, want the same things. And then that was crushed by the sting of her own betrayal.

There were people back home missing her, thinking she must be kidnapped or dead, not knowing what horrible things could be happening to her - _had_ happened to her. She thought of her parents and her siblings. Her little sisters would be back at school by now, her brother would be at his office, and Bryce... Bryce.

As unhappy as she had been with him in the months before that party, she never thought they would be apart like this. She never wanted to hurt him or make him worry, and here she was, centuries away, actually enjoying herself - most of the time - and falling for another man. She was awful. What made her feel worse was that all of them, even Bryce had barely been an afterthought recently. How could she even say that she loved them, when she hardly thought of them? The fact that she had been fighting for her own life and Sesshoumaru's in the days leading up to their departure was hardly an excuse.

Vanessa's breath caught in her throat. He didn't make a sound, but she knew Sesshoumaru stood outside the door. Ever since London, the connection she had with him seemed stronger. It could be her imagination, her relief after losing him and getting him back again, and paranoia over the same happening again.

She didn't know how or why, but she could almost feel the nearness of his presence on the other side of the door. What she _could_ feel was his confusion, and his concern, even the wariness as he rapped lightly on the door.

Vanessa said nothing, afraid of facing him with all of this running through her head, and hoping he would think her asleep though it had only been minutes since she left him. Besides, if she could feel him so easily, no matter how she tried to smother her own internal struggle, she knew he must be feeling it as well.

Sesshoumaru pushed open the door with a soft, low groan of its hinges, hesitated a moment then entered. For a long moment he just stood silently in the center of the cabin floor.

"Vanessa, I..." he began softly and stopped.

She could imagine his fist clenched at his side like he did when he searched for words he wasn't used to saying, and she knew she wasn't being fair to him. Her mood had nothing to do with anything he did, and he didn't deserve to suffer for it. As though catching a wisp of her thought, he sighed. "If I have done something to offend, please... tell me. If you want to go back out there, I will-"

"No," Vanessa interrupted, rolling over to face him. "I don't really want to talk about it," she said, knowing that he wouldn't accept a denial of anything being wrong. How could he after her behavior? "But it isn't anything you did."

He was relieved, she realized with some surprise. Had he really thought he had done something wrong?

"Do you wish to be alone?"

Vanessa didn't answer. She didn't know. Just his presence in the room was a comfort, but she didn't want him to worry over her up and down emotions. She couldn't ask him to to stay and still refuse to tell him what had bothered her so suddenly, could she?

"I will leave," he said softly and as he took a step back toward the door, she reached out to him.

"Don't go," she whispered, hoping that he wouldn't run just as she had.

She wanted him near. She wanted to hear his voice and forget her worries. There was nothing she could do one way other the other right now. They were in the middle of the ocean, and she wouldn't ask him to fly them back to land, not after everything they had done to get here.

Sesshoumaru stepped up to her bed as she thought these things and rested his forearm casually on her mattress. With her head pillowed on one arm, the height of her bunk set her eyes level with his shoulder. He leaned forward, putting his head close to hers and whispered back, "What can I do?"

Vanessa stared at his chest and slid her hand over to his, stopping just short of touching him. After a beat, his long fingers closed around hers, and just like that, her heart eased. She still felt guilty, but she also felt right, and when she squeezed his hand, he bent further and touched his forehead to hers. His bangs tickled her nose making her smile despite herself.

"I do not know what troubles you," he murmured, his breath soft as a kiss next to her skin. "But if it will help, I will listen. Tell me only if you wish to." And when he shifted, she thought she felt his lips touch her forehead where his own had been only a moment before. Then he straightened, and the moment was gone so quickly she might have imagined the whole thing.

To say that Sesshoumaru was generally affectionate would be a gross overstatement. He had other ways of showing that he cared, but that small gesture was just what she needed. Had he known? She felt content and comforted and warm, and she could only imagine what a true kiss would be like. At that thought, she was glad the light was dim, because she knew by the sudden warmth that her cheeks had blushed pink at the very idea. She sighed.

"I'm not doing a very good job of making this a good trip," she muttered and touched the claw on his thumb with the index finger of her free hand.

Sesshoumaru looked down at her silently and waited for an explanation.

"After everything that's happened, I told myself that this part of the trip would be good. It has to be. And two days into it, I'm already a mess. I don't know why now all of a sudden, but you shouldn't have to deal with that."

His lips twitched.

"I do not like when you are upset," he admitted, making Vanessa wince. But he just smiled a little and shook his head. "Not because I can feel it too. It is not... comfortable, to feel helpless when something has upset you, especially when it was not me." He let slip a small mischievous smile, but then turned his eyes aside and shrugged, looking shockingly vulnerable in the low light. "So if it is not something I have done or could prevent, what choice do I have but to offer comfort until it passes?"

Vanessa was stunned by his admission. How did he not have women knocking down his door for even a chance at his attentions, she wondered. He could have anyone. He didn't have to live alone like he did.

The answer was already there in front of her, though: to most of his world, he was cold and ruthless, and cared about nothing and no one but himself, and that fact only made his words that much more potent. He offered his comfort because he wanted to. True, it hadn't all gone as planned, but he was _here_ because he wanted to be. He put himself through all of this because he wanted to help her. He could leave her at any time he wanted to, but he didn't. Vanessa squeezed his hand again. No one had ever done so much for her while asking for nothing in return, and with a slightly thick voice, she said, "Thank you."

"Get some sleep," he told her. "You will feel better in the morning."

And he was right. She didn't know how long he stood there, a silent bastion of strength and security, but when she awoke in the morning, he was gone. She wanted to apologize to him, to thank him for bearing with her once again, but first she had to find him. Vanessa rubbed the sleep from her eyes and slid down out of her bed to go looking.

Fortunately there wasn't far to go on a ship in the middle of the ocean, but she didn't have to search long. Shielding her eyes from the morning sun with one hand, she spotted him. He stood out of the way of the crew with his face turned up to the morning sun, and she thought she saw his nostrils flare when the wind blew her scent to him and whipped his hair and clothes about him. He said nothing as she approached.

"Sorry about last night," she said, sidling up to him and leaning her elbows on the starboard side rail. "Human moment, I guess."

Sesshoumaru glanced down at her then out to the western horizon. They were heading slightly south now in their westward journey. "How was your rest?" He asked, and Vanessa thought he might be avoiding exactly what what made her so upset. She wondered if he even wanted or cared to know. Maybe it didn't matter to him. Like he said, if it wasn't something he had done, what could he do? Still, even though he didn't ask, she felt like she owed him some kind of explanation.

"Fine," she said. "I think maybe everything just caught up to me and I felt a little overwhelmed."

He almost smiled as he looked out at the glistening water. "Understandable. You have been through much in the past months and have had little time to reconcile what you have seen with your reality in the future. I must admit, you have shown an admirable strength through it all."

"You mean for a human."

He shook his head, never taking his eyes from the water. "I mean for any being taken from his -or her- timeline and dropped into another. It must have been terribly disorienting and frightening for you. I sometimes forget that you are not fully at home here, even when you appear to be at ease with your surroundings."

Vanessa hadn't expected that. There were days she didn't know which way was up, but he always seemed to be there to show her. Was this something he had thought about?

"You've put some thought into this," she said with a smile.

"The confines of a ship leave room for little else."

Before she could consider the odd note in his voice, there was a commotion at the stairs leading down to the hold and crew quarters. She and Sesshoumaru exchanged a glance and turned to watch as two men - the cook and the first mate, hurried up the steps in the direction of the captain's cabin. One of them had a lump of something gray in his hand.

"What happened? Can you hear them from here?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Vanessa shook her head. "No, just voices."

They discreetly shifted closer until she could make out the words

"Oh," she said softly, listening to the muffled discussion. "Gross."

Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow expectantly. "Sorry," she said softly. "It sounds like the crew's meat rations have rotted. Some of it anyway. The captain says that it must not have been inspected properly at the dock. It couldn't have gone bad in the couple days we've been at sea. Of course, Antón says that everything was fine when he checked it in - Heads up!" she hissed, and turned away hurriedly as Antón stalked back out the door. He saw them from the corner of his eye and paused, narrowing his eyes at them, at Vanessa in particular, and spat on the deck before moving on.

Vanessa gasped in indignation and turned to watch him go, while Sesshoumaru stiffened beside her. She could practically feel him restraining himself from responding, and the intensity of his own sudden and indignant rage took her breath away. "Rude," she breathed. She inched back until she could feel Sesshoumaru at her back. Antón scared her. Where Captain Peinado was lean and wiry, Antón was a barrel of a man with thick, bristly, black hair, and small dark eyes. He didn't wear a frock coat like his captain, and his pale linen shirt did little to hide the bulk of his muscles. Broad shoulders and bulging arms suggested that he might be the muscle to Peinado's brain. And he had been against her presence on board from the start. Until then he had not been overtly disrespectful, simply cold and aloof. She could deal with that. Thinly veiled threats?

"You have nothing to fear from him," Sesshoumaru growled for her ears alone. "But perhaps... keep your distance nonetheless."

"You're telling me. He couldn't think _I_ had anything to do with that, could he? The way he looked at me..." she shuddered. He put a hand on her shoulder as if to assure her that whatever trouble Antón might cause, he would be there to defend her. Vanessa smiled and clasped his fingers briefly.

"I do not see how," he said. "We have not gone near near their stores, and as you said, it has only been two days since we left the city. I would wager their supplies were rotten before they came on board. His pride is wounded. That is all."

The captain and the cook stepped up to the doorway then, both staring after Antón with a mix of emotions between their faces. Captain Peinado waved a hand after his first mate. "Bah," he said. "Let him cool down. There is nothing to be done about the provisions now. We lose too much time by going back. I will assign men to fish to and make up for it."

"Aye, captain," the cook agreed. "I can work with fish."

"Salvage what you can, and throw the rest overboard. We don't need to stink of rotting meat to make this situation worse. Indeed, it may attract the very fish the crew will eat."

Captain Peinado turned to return to his cabin and started when he saw his passengers.

"Señorita," he said by way of greeting. "Señor. How fare you both this morning?"

"Is everything all right?" Vanessa asked, rather than answer.

"Ah," he said with a dismissive wave. "Nothing for you to worry about. But you, are you liking my ship?"

She smiled. "Can't complain."

"Well, if there is anything you need, do tell me," he said. "Excuse me."

The ship quieted after the issue of the spoiled meat was settled, though more and more of the crew began to eye Vanessa warily when they saw her about the ship. She thought it was Antón's doing. The first few days of the voyage, most of the men had been, at worst, cordial, but mostly friendly and eager to please "the lady of the ship."

Now, days after the abrupt quasi-confrontation with Antón, many of those same men responded to her greetings with only a brief "Ma'am" before scurrying on to their duties. They eyed her uncertainly now, apparently apprehensive of the mystical powers of women at sea, but they were too conditioned by custom, and perhaps a background in servitude, to do otherwise. If not for Sesshoumaru and the Captain, the remaining weeks of the voyage looked to be quite lonely for her otherwise.

Someone had to have spread the rumor, and she had a pretty good idea who. It was difficult to avoid Antón, especially considering they were quartered across what was suddenly a very narrow hall from the first mate. So far she'd avoided another close call, but she wasn't happy about it.

Vanessa flopped down onto her chair and crossed her arms in a huff. Seated at their table, Sesshoumaru raised questioning eyebrows at her.

"I don't get it," she said, unable to suppress her irritation.

He set aside the stack of playing cards he had been inspecting and turned to give her his full attention.

"These men are being such... men!"

Sesshoumaru blinked.

"I can't go anywhere without someone looking at me like I'm the root of all their problems. I haven't even done anything!"

He nodded in agreement and then frowned thoughtfully. "Have any of them said anything to you?"

"No," she groused.

"Have they attempted to do you harm?"

"No."

He paused before speaking again. "Then what would you have me do? It will not get us far if I kill every man who looks at you strangely. Though, I would be glad to do it if those men were not needed to sail this ship..."

Sesshoumaru let the offer hang in the air until Vanessa sighed. "No, I'll deal with it."

"Teach me something," he suggested almost brightly. Vanessa eyed him warily for his sudden eagerness.

"Like what?"

He shrugged. "Words... phrases... or," he tapped the deck of with a claw. "Show me what these are for."

Vanessa smiled. "All right." That was what she had gotten the cards for anyway, wasn't it? When she had noticed some of the men playing with cards instead of dice, one of the more female-friendly gamblers had loaned her a deck. She just hadn't started teaching him any games yet.

In the end, she decided to do a little of all three. Trying to teach him basic math with the cards would be an insult to his intelligence, but she could use them to go over numbers, and after a short while on a few number-oriented phrases, they reestablished their spirit bond and spent the afternoon playing any game Vanessa could think of. It was a welcome change to the past several days of avoiding fearful and accusatory looks over the bad luck of the spoiled meat. It took some time for him to figure out how to manage the cards one-handed, but soon he was flicking cards onto the tabletop as deftly as he swung his sword.

vVvVvVv

It wasn't so bad for Vanessa when Sesshoumaru was at her side. The looks were less overt when it was apparent that he missed nothing, and no one was yet willing to cross him. Still, she was glad to retreat to their cabin when even those subtle glances began to elicit low growls from Sesshoumaru. She tried to ignore them, to pretend that these men weren't piling their superstitions onto her, but her tension still bothered him, and he couldn't do anything about it.

Sesshoumaru cursed under his breath as his tongue stumbled and twisted the words he was trying to say into something entirely unrecognizable.

"In English?" Vanessa teased, but her smile was patient when he turned his eyes and a scowl at her. "Take a break."

He sat back and rubbed at his eyes. Even as his own vocabulary grew, her Japanese was improving too, and he was able to help her with it now. Not nearly to the extent that she was teaching him, but he could supply a word or pronunciation where she struggled. This exercise was turning out to be mutually beneficial, despite his current frustrations. And it was something to pass the time. It had only been a little over a week since they left London, but already Sesshoumaru was beginning to feel restless, and they still had the better part of a month or more to go.

"We don't have to do this anymore. If you've had enough, we can stop if you want"

"_No,"_ Sesshoumaru said in English, more forcefully than he intended, though he found he quite liked a single-syllable negative. She was speaking Japanese for his benefit now, but he was determined to succeed in this. "_Sesshoumaru... No, I. I... want..._" he huffed through his teeth in frustration. _"I hear... man... mans..."_

That still wasn't right, he thought and his scowl deepened as he growled low to himself and searched for the word.

"_Men?_ Vanessa supplied. _"You hear men?"_

"_Men," _Sesshoumaru agreed. _"I hear men. I hear words."_

Finally, he sighed and gave up. "I want to understand what is being said behind our backs. You cannot hear it, and I cannot understand." He could only glean so much from their tone alone, and less than that if it was hushed whispers.

"Hold on," Vanessa said softly and slipped the ribbon back over his hand, and suddenly her warm calm and mild concern highlighted his own thoughts. Feeling her once again eased his own irritation. Her hands lingered on his, and he let them.

"Do you think we're in danger?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I do not know. I cannot know. The crew has not been overly friendly, but they have displayed no open hostility. Most of them," he amended. "They cannot know of the sensitivity of my ears, yet that is useless if I do not know what they are saying."

"Is that why you wanted me to teach you? Has this been going on all along?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "No. Initially, I was merely curious about your conversations with the

captain."

"The captain?"

He'd said too much already, but she was waiting. Always waiting for him. He looked down at their joined hands. "Hearing only one side, I..." He let his voice trail off.

Vanessa's eyes were wide when he raised his gaze to meet hers.

"You felt left out. I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

"It is a small thing," he muttered. "It is nothing. I now have more pressing reasons to learn your tongue." How could he tell her he was envious? He could hardly admit it to himself. But that night, before the rotten supplies were found, when she had been in the eye of practically every man on the ship, it had been nearly unbearable to watch her with them. He wanted her to himself. He didn't want to share their remaining days with these humans. But he must.

"Is there anything else I can do?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head and squeezed her hand, still in his, and then let go. "Only what you are doing. I need some air. Care to join me?"

He stood without waiting for an answer. She would follow, he knew her that well anyway. What he really needed was to run or fly or anything else but sit idly on a ship, but if he could not do that, he could enjoy the sun with her by his side.

"You're restless," Vanessa said, coming up beside him and leaning on the rail. He started at the comment. Could she have known his thoughts?

"Nonsense," he muttered, though he kept his gaze trained on the horizon, always to the west, always searching for the misty irregularity that would tell him this leg was over. He had neither confirmed nor denied the truth of her words. With so little time behind them and so much ahead, how could he tell her he was out of his mind with boredom? She tried to keep him occupied with their language lessons and stories, and now card games, but it was no good. He needed action. He needed to move. Practicing his kata in the quiet of the night was therapeutic, but it did not release the long pent-up energy he felt humming in his veins. Despite the vastness of this ocean, he felt trapped.

Sesshoumaru glanced to the side and Vanessa raised her eyebrows at him expectantly. He sighed. "It is difficult to be idle for so long," he admitted. And to think, they had at least four weeks yet to go. Perhaps more. What should have been a blink of his immortal eye, was turning out to be interminably long.

"And you can't go off battling sharks or they'll know you're not human. They already think something is off."

If not for Vanessa, he would take his chances with the distance and leave, just fly off and be done with the whole business of these humans. But he wouldn't abandon her, and he didn't know if he could ensure the safety of them both. He knew he could fly faster than this ship sailed, but how much faster? Would he reduce their trip by days? Weeks? Could he carry everything they would need to last that long under the sun?

"You have dark clothing," she mused, oblivious to the path his thoughts were taking. The red and white enchanted silk was much more durable for daily wear, but he did have spare clothes. One set was dark blue. He nodded and waited to see where she was going with this.

"Well... Why don't you take a flight tonight while most of the crew is asleep and there are only a few men on deck. I know you can avoid their notice, and then it's just a matter of not being seen on the open water."

He had thought of it, but the dark clothing was a touch he hadn't considered. Still, he couldn't leave her.

"You cannot think I will leave you alone on this ship after everything that has been happening just to relieve my boredom."

Vanessa waved off his objection. "Don't be silly. If you do it right, no one will ever know you're gone. I'll be perfectly safe. Besides, it isn't just about you being bored. You're edgy and restless, and more irritable than usual. I think you need this."

Had he been so obvious?

"Very well. We can try tonight, but you must tell me if you feel at all threatened while I am away. I do not like to leave you alone with these men."

"I'll be fine, and you will feel better too." She made a vague gesture out at the water surrounding them. "Go eat something fresh. I don't think salt pork and bread is doing you any good."

He turned his eyes out to the open water. "I told you before we left. It is fine."

"I know, but you've sacrificed so much already. You should at least be able to eat something that isn't human food when the opportunity is staring you in the face. Do it for me."

Sesshoumaru blinked and turned back to face her. Then he nodded once. "For you then." He couldn't help the surge of excitement that sprang up within him at the thought of once again being able to move at anything but a human pace.

That night, Sesshoumaru changed into his dark clothing, and with an odd pang of worry, looked to Vanessa. She just grinned at him. "Go," she said.

"You will not leave this room? If anything happens, break the bond. I will return immediately."

It felt like good-bye. Why did it feel like good-bye?

Vanessa laughed. "Quit worrying and go. I'll be fine."

Sesshoumaru perched on the edge of their window and leaned out to look up for any sign of patrol on the deck above. It wasn't a large window, but he fit if he crouched. He couldn't help feeling like he was abandoning her. The last time he left...

"I'm going to push you out that window if you don't get a move on," she threatened with laughter in her voice, but though he tensed when she stepped close, she only put a soft hand on his cheek. "Go," she whispered. "I'll be right here when you get back. Look, I'll even block the door. No one will get in while you're out." Even as she spoke, she backed up and dragged one of the chairs to bar the door.

She sounded so sure of herself, and for his own sanity, he knew he needed to release some energy. Though he knew it would be better not to do that by breaking human heads, he didn't want to leave. More specifically, he didn't want to leave _her._ But, finally, with a low growl, he dropped backward out of the window, catching himself just before he hit the water.

For just a moment he hovered there and looked up to see Vanessa poke her head out the window. When she found him against the dark water, she waved. Maybe she would be fine, he thought, but he would not dally about. He would fly out, and then he would return.

Turning away, he sped off into the night, only inches above the swells. He paused just once more to look back and gauge the ship's speed and course against the stars then started off again, and as he gathered speed and distance, he felt... good. He would find something, kill it, feast on its flesh, and he would sleep well that night. And he would do it before anyone could notice he was gone and take advantage of his absence. He couldn't shake his worry over leaving her, and kept his connection with her in the forefront of his mind, monitoring it for any change; any sense of danger would send him speeding back the way he had come. On the upside, however, he might also find out now if they were limited by range. Would he cease to feel her if he went too far?

As his eyes adjusted to the glint of moon and stars on the water, and he was able to look through to the inky depths below, he began to see the sleek, fat shapes of fish schooling just beneath the surface. That same light now reflected back at him off their shiny scales. He felt his mouth begin to water over the very thought of fresh meat from a kill claimed by his own hands... hand.

He growled low to himself and his lips curved into an eager smile, his eyes bright with excitement. This would be a challenge. Fish had no windpipe to be closed by a strong hand or jaws. He couldn't brace himself against the earth in his struggle, and if he found himself in the water - as was very likely given this particular prey - he had the air in his own lungs to be concerned with. His blood was fire in his veins at even this simple test of his skills.

Sesshoumaru eyed the fish in the water below him and judged them to be almost as long as he was tall. He would start with these and work his way up to something bigger another night. In that moment, he realized that he did intend to try this again. Even in this limited time off the ship, he felt free, a feeling he hadn't had since crossing the narrow waterway between the continent and the island that had caused him so much trouble.

When one fish wriggled its way toward the surface, Sesshoumaru saw that as his opportunity and dove, striking the fish in its gills as he plunged through the surface of the water. Once the fish was stunned this way by a few more blows, it was almost disappointingly easy to drag it to the surface. His ability for flight was based on controlling air, not water; he had to swim like everyone else, but with a powerful kick, he launched himself and his prize out of the water and into the cool night air. He hovered there and braced the fish on his knees, and without further ceremony, he tore through its soft, scaly belly with his claws to reveal the pale pink flesh inside.

The taste was exquisite after just a week of salted pork and hardtack, and that alone convinced him that Vanessa had been right in sending him out here. By the time he thought that perhaps he should bring some back for her, he was left with nothing but bones. Somewhat sheepishly, he dropped the carcass into the water to be nibbled and disposed of by other sea creatures, and idly brushed scales off his clothes. Next time, he would time his outing closer to daybreak when his catch was still fresh and could be properly cooked for her. Or they could spend the afternoon fishing. Or something.

Normally fastidious with his appearance, Sesshoumaru glanced down at himself and grimaced. His clothes were a mess of blood and scales, but for once, he really didn't care. His blood still sang with the thrill of even this small hunt.

Vanessa was right - he had needed this escape. He had needed this taste of the freedom he hadn't truly had since before entering that godsforsaken human city, and it rankled that he had to go back to the ship and continue pretending to be human. He was more than that, better. He thought again that he could just go, take his chances and be done with them all. Fly away into the night and never return.

But then he thought of Vanessa, alone in the cabin they shared, hidden away from all those men, waiting for him to return. If he left, he would be entrusting her to the dubious honor of men stuck at sea themselves, human men who might not treat her as she deserved to be treated.

She needed him.

For her, he would return. For her, he would suffer through the limitations imposed on him in this charade, and... And he would do it gladly. Sesshoumaru arched and dove back into the water to scrub the remains of his kill from his clothes.

In the air again, soaked but refreshed, he hesitated in mild surprise for a moment when he was about to look to the stars to guide him back to the ship. _This is new_, he thought and closed his eyes to focus. Somehow he already knew which direction to go without even verifying his position. He could feel her. He hadn't noticed when he was on board with her, but now he was certain he could find Vanessa just by the tug he felt when he considered his need to go to her. This merited some thinking later, but now he had somewhere to be.

He turned and drifted a few meters in the direction he felt her pull, glanced skyward to confirm his suspicions, and headed back to his waiting human. Sesshoumaru knew before he left that it would be challenging, but not impossible, to find his way back to the ship - at least until he was within hearing of the creak of timber and snap of sails across the water, but now he only had to follow the pull on his senses. That gave some small answer to his question regarding the range of their bond. He didn't know how far he was from the ship now, but but he could still feel her clearly, and what's more, he now had a sense of _where_ she was. It was a strange sensation, and he wasn't quite sure how comfortable he was with it, but it could have its uses.

As he flew, Sesshoumaru looked beyond that pull to the feeling of Vanessa herself. She was content, almost pleased with herself, and it made him smile. Perhaps she too had felt the release in tension this excursion had given him, and he wondered if she would give him that knowing smile of hers when he saw her. Who knew, maybe she really did know better than he what was good for him.

Finally, he saw the lights of the ship, and put on a little more speed to come in from behind where he hoped there would be less chance of being seen. There was no commotion, no cry of alarm when he glided alongside the hulking ship and into the cabin he shared with Vanessa.

Sesshoumaru slipped in through the window and landed lightly in the dimly lit room. Vanessa had left the lantern burning for him, and was sleeping in her bunk, not deeply; she didn't seem to have been asleep for long. He stepped silently up to her bunk and watched her in the low light.

Not for the first time, the thought struck that he would miss her. He tried not to think about their inevitable parting of ways, but peaceful moments like this where he was left with nothing but his own thoughts made it difficult. A lock of her hair had fallen over her face, and pale strands fluttered on her breath. With a careful claw, he lightly brushed her hair off her cheek and adjusted her blanket over her shoulders.

He had stood just where he was now that night when the stresses of her travels had finally caught up with her. There had been no repeat, but he was reminded again that she was not like him; she was a fragile thing and had to be handled gently, protected. Like crystal, she could be strong and sharp, but just as easily, she could shatter. He never wanted to see her broken.

Yet even as he felt the need to protect her, more and more, he found her trying to take care of him. She had battled for his very life in London, and most recently insisted that he satisfy his need to move. He glanced at the chair still barring the door. That had been for his own peace of mind, not for any real danger. And now, just as on that night when he thought he might have done anything she asked to make her hurting stop, he wanted to kiss her. He almost had then.

All it would take was to lean forward and touch his lips to her skin. Nothing more. What was the harm in it? He had done it before, back on the road when he had feared for her life the first time she fainted. But he didn't do it now.

Sesshoumaru was afraid, if it could be believed, afraid to open that door, and experience what this mere human could give him, only to have it slam on him when she left. Why put himself through that? Instead, he touched her cheek lightly with the back of one finger, careful not to wake her. He would _have_ to be very careful from now on, or she would be the end of him.

"Thank you," he whispered, and as he turned away toward his own bunk, he thought he saw her lips curve into a smile.

A/N: So... couple months, new chapter. Better than my past history XD This has been finished for about a month... I've just been tweaking it to death, and I think it's time to lay it to rest.


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